CADDEN DENIES CAMPBELL TO WIN THE WEST OF IRELAND
Mark Cadden defeated Ireland international Colm Campbell to win the West of Ireland at Co Sligo GC. (Photo: Tom O'Hanlon/Inpho)
Roganstown teenager Mark Cadden said it was dream come true as he claimed the Connolly Motor Group West of Ireland Men’s Amateur Open Championship at Co Sligo Golf Club following a thrilling one hole victory over Warrenpoint’s Ireland international Colm Campbell.
The powerful 6ft 5in 19-year-old showed his class in Sligo but he was unable to wriggle free of last year’s beaten finalist, who never knows when he is beat and won the 17th to force the match down the last.
And there were two extra holes before Cadden sunk a 15-foot putt as scenes of jubilation, with his parents Paula and Michael along with more family and friends from Roganstown and beyond, celebrated the win.
“It’s pretty emotional now,” said Cadden. “Just put so much time and effort went into it and to finally get something in return it’s just unbelievable. My dad and mam, just the support they give me is unbelievable, all my family.
“My sister was watching that match the whole time in Australia, it’s about 2.30am there now. She was in tears on the phone. It was emotional.
“I played great all day. Colm holed so many putts in the first eight holes and then a few coming in. He just wouldn’t back off. At 17 he made some par, every time he had the putter in his hands, I was expecting him to make it.
“Thankfully it just went my way.”
In the semi-finals Cadden continued his impressive week with a 3&1 win over fellow teenage prospect Alex Kerins (Carton House). The pair battled it out as Cadden went two-up after a birdie at the sixth. He was unable to pull away on the back nine, but when Kerins stumbled on 15 it left the door open and Cadden advanced.
Campbell was made to work hard for his place in the final by Cian Harkin (The Island). The Donegal native went one-up on the fifth, but Campbell bounced back. He went one-up after the turn and although Harkin clawed the deficit back again on 12, Campbell went in front on 16 before closing out the win
In the ISPS Handa G4D at The West, Paul O’Kelly (Portmarnock) signed for a second round 86 to hold on for a narrow one-shot victory over Fiona Gray (St Patrick’s). A closing par was crucial as he claimed the Standing 2 Category.
“I didn’t play as well as I did yesterday, but I managed to do enough and hold on in tough conditions again,” said O’Kelly. “Just keeping the ball in front of me, keeping it low when it was needed and avoiding the big mistakes. That was the plan for the two days and managed to do it for the most part.”
Killarney’s Tom Doherty won the Standing 1 Category after he finished eight shots ahead of his nearest challenger, Chris Faloon (Galgorm Castle). James McParland (Roganstown) won the Standing 3 Category. He secured a narrow three-stroke win, just ahead of Conal Flynn (Athenry).
Faloon finished on top of the Net Stroke Play leaderboard on five-over, while Gray finished runner-up again (+11) and Flynn was back in third (+12).
Meanwhile, one of the highlights of the closing round was when Ballinrobe golfer Jarlath King landed his first hole-in-one on the Par 3 13th.