Gregory makes most of visit to Jack's place

The British Amateur champion failed to make the weekend at the Memorial Tournament in Ohio, USA, after receiving an invite to play by the legendary Jack Nicklaus.

Rounds of 76 and 72 meant he missed out by one shot.

That disappoined the 22-year-old Corhampton Golf Club ace as he prepares for the US Open.

But he admitted the week spent at Muirfield Village – the club synonymous with Nicklaus – will live long in the memory.

Gregory tweeted after coming off the course on Friday night: ‘Gutted to miss the cut by one but plenty learned.

‘The time I got to spend with Mr Nicklaus is something I will treasure forever.’

As soon as the Memorial event was won by Jason Dufner, Gregory – who played in The Masters in April – was packing his suitcase ready for the flight to Wisconsin, where he will make his US Open debut at Erin Hills.

It will be Gregory’s second major of 2017, after his British Amateur Championship success, and his last as an amateur as he prepares to turn pro later in the year.

He admitted his meeting with the Golden Bear, who holds the record of 18 major wins, would benefit him moving forward.

‘We managed to arrange to meet up the Saturday before the tournament for a couple of hours,’ said Gregory.

‘We were just talking and I asked him questions and we had a very good chat about lots of things.

‘I really wanted to meet and talk with him at Augusta, but with his media commitments being so heavy at the Masters I could not make it happen.

‘Speaking to Jack was inspirational. It changed the way I prepared for this tournament. I was definitely more sensible out on the golf course.

‘We had a great conversation about his career, his preparations and how he coped with pressure and winning all of those tournaments.

‘It was incredible and I used a lot of the things he told me this week – and for the most part they worked.

‘It was one of those things not many people get to do.

‘If you see him in the clubhouse, he just comes up and says, “Hi’ how are you doing?” It is incredible.

‘You would never know he has achieved what he has done in golf if you just met him, and did not know who he was. He is just a real quality, nice guy.’

Gregory added he could take some positives from his Memorial experience into next week’s US Open.

He said: ‘I don’t mind admitting I was nervous.

‘I hit some shaky shots at the start of the first round that cost me making the cut.

“I had two three putts and a couple of pulled iron shots which all came from being a bit tentative.

‘However, for my last 29 holes I was one-under par, so that shows I have what I need to compete.’