- Austin is nearing the end of his college career at the University of North Carolina. While many college seniors might enjoy a senior slide full of social gatherings, Greaser still has some things he’d like to take care of before leaving Chapel Hill.

The UNC golf team is ranked third in the country and has tallied five wins this year. The Tar Heels are on the shortlist to contend for a national championship, and Greaser is at the center of the chase for UNC’s first-ever men’s golf national title.

It goes without saying that delivering a championship would cap off an incredible five-year run for Greaser at UNC. However, it wasn’t without its challenges, as Greaser, along with the entire high school class of 2019, lost a lot of their college experience to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It taught me that things can change quickly,” Greaser said. “I worked hard during that time.”

That time away from competitive golf while taking classes online provided Greaser a chance to work on his golf game, and the payoff came to fruition at Oakmont in 2021. Greaser qualified for the U.S. Amateur and plowed through the field to the final, which earned him a spot in The 2022 Masters.

Two years later, and Greaser wants nothing more than to get back to Augusta National.

“The amateurs that have been there and played probably have more motivation to get back just because of how special the week felt,” Greaser said. “We really enjoyed it. So that's kind of where I'm at. I am jealous, because I feel like I have the most motivation of anybody to get back.”

One memory that sticks out for Greaser is how he felt on the first hole.

“First and foremost was how nervous I was on the first tee. It’s a good nervous,” Greaser said. “You always dreamed of teeing off there and the hearing your name the way they said it. I think that was what stands out to me first.”

Plenty of amateurs would be jealous of Greaser’s golf career. In addition to playing in The Masters, he played in the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club, making the cut on the number with his twin brother, Byron, on the bag.

Winning a title for UNC isn’t the only reason Greaser decided to spend one more year in college rather than chasing down a paycheck as a professional. The Walker Cup at St. Andrews was too good to pass up, and Greaser understood the importance of being a part of that event. It makes him an indelible mark in the game’s history as a participant in the Walker Cup.

“Playing the Walker Cup was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Greaser said. And honestly, I'm so glad I did it the way I did it. I wouldn't change a thing. I'm so glad I came back.”

After the first day of the two-day event, the United States looked like it was going to suffer an embarrassing loss, considering the betting odds were heavily in favor of Team USA. Instead, Captain Mike McCoy’s team turned it around and won.

Among the flood of memories, the moment Team USA won stands out to him. He had just hit his approach into one of the most famous holes in the world, the 17th Road Hole, when he learned that his UNC teammate David Ford earned the pivotal point.

“I remember looking over at my team and at the few USA fans that we had amongst the four to six thousand Euro fans,” Greaser recalled. “I remember looking at them and at the crowd and giving a good little scream about it. And then I grabbed a USA flag and ran back down the fairway to meet David. So that was really cool.”

Winning a team event away from home is not an opportunity that comes all that often for a golfer.

“We don't get to experience that a whole lot in golf. It's not usually a team thing. There's usually an individual leaderboard, but the Walker Cup was team only. There was no individual leaderboard,” Greaser said. “So to go over there and do it on their home of golf. I mean, you can't write it up much better than that. We liked playing the villains that week for sure.”

The end of college means the beginning of a new adventure for Greaser. He plans to turn professional right after the college season ends. His ranking in PGA Tour University will determine the beginning of his professional career.

If he can maintain his current No. 5 ranking, he will have exempt status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the rest of the 2024 season and also earn a spot in the Final Stage of PGA Tour Q-School. This is a boon for a newcomer to the pro ranks because he’ll be able to earn some money and potentially carry his status into the following season.

He’s not worried about his ranking, though.

“I'd say for most players on that board, you can't say it's not on your mind. You know that it can get you status and how important that is for your future,” Greaser said. “But the flip side is whether you pay attention to it or not, I don't think it necessarily changes what you're trying to do.”

It’s about the process, and the results will follow.

“When I show up at a golf course, I'm trying to figure out the game plan for every single hole and how I can make birdies. I'm trying to do the best I can on each hole and developing a game plan to do so.”

The machinations of turning pro are not as simple as declaring the decisions and then finding events to play in. Greaser will have to find a new place to live, he’ll spend the short term in Chapel Hill and then plans to find a spot in Florida later in the year.

His twin brother, Byron, who was on the bag when Greaser made his U.S. Amateur run and in the 2022 U.S. Open, plans to be his caddie. Byron graduated from Coastal Carolina’s PGA Management program, and he’s currently in Chapel Hill, completing an internship at UNC’s home course, Finley. Austin has enjoyed having his brother close by and is excited to have him along for the ride.

While Greaser has his caddie and swing coach lined up, as A.J. Riley has been helping Greaser for most of his golfing life, a physical therapist will be a necessary addition to his team because he can’t take UNC’s PT with him to Florida.

Over the years, Greaser has battled pain in his left wrist. Specifically, it’s the “knob” on the outside of his wrist, and he feels it in different parts of his swing when he rotates to the end point of his range of motion.

He’s built a 30-minute routine to loosen it up before rounds and has to spend time every day working through exercises to keep the pain at bay. He hasn’t had any surgery on it; instead, some cortisone shots have helped.

“I am managing it better than I have ever before, which helps,” Greaser said. It's definitely a little extra effort, and it's annoying at times, but it’s worth it. This is what I want to do and want to chase.”

Golf is always about the chase, and Greaser has a few more things to chase before leaving UNC for the pastures of professional golf with his brother by his side.