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see also: Mark Cadden, View results for West of Ireland Open Amateur, County Sligo Golf Club (Rosses Point)
Teenager outlasts Colm Campbell in one of the week’s most dramatic finals at County Sligo
Mark Cadden delivered a breakthrough performance at one of Ireland’s most respected amateur championships, draining a 15-foot putt on the 20th hole to win the 2026 West of Ireland Men’s Amateur Open Championship at County Sligo Golf Club.
The 19-year-old from Roganstown outlasted Warrenpoint’s Colm Campbell in a final that remained tight all afternoon and spilled into extra holes before Cadden finally closed it out in dramatic fashion.
It was a fitting finish to a standout week for one of Ireland’s rising young players. Cadden showed power, poise, and patience throughout the championship, but he had to work for every bit of it against Campbell, who once again proved why he is one of the toughest match-play competitors in the field.
Campbell, last year’s runner-up, kept the pressure on from the opening holes and refused to let Cadden pull away. He made key putts throughout the match and won the 17th hole to force the contest to the last. Neither player could gain the upper hand on the 18th, and the final moved to extra holes.
That is where Cadden found the moment he had been waiting for.
On the 20th hole, he poured in a 15-foot putt to seal the championship and set off an emotional celebration with family and friends who had gathered greenside to watch him finish the job.
The win was the biggest of Cadden’s young career and a meaningful reward for the work he has put in behind the scenes.
“It’s pretty emotional now. We’ve put so much time and effort into this, and to finally get something in return, it’s unbelievable.”
Cadden’s run to the title included a strong semifinal performance against fellow 19-year-old Alex Kerins of Carton House. In that match, Cadden took control with a birdie on the sixth hole to move 2-up and never gave that advantage back, eventually closing out a 3-and-1 victory.
Campbell had a more difficult route to the final. He faced Cian Harkin of The Island in a tightly contested semifinal and emerged with a 1-up win after edging ahead late in the match.
The final brought together two players in excellent form, and both delivered. Cadden may have had the edge in ball-striking and physical presence, but Campbell’s putting and grit kept the match alive all the way to the 20th hole.
Alongside the main championship, the ISPS Handa G4D at The West also produced several notable performances.
Paul O’Kelly of Portmarnock won the Standing 2 category by a single shot after carding a second-round 86 and finishing with a crucial par. Tom Doherty of Killarney claimed the Standing 1 category in commanding fashion, finishing eight shots clear of the field. James McParland of Roganstown captured the Standing 3 category with a three-shot margin over Conal Flynn of Athenry.
Chris Faloon topped the Net Stroke Play leaderboard at 5-over, with Fiona Gray finishing runner-up at 11-over and Flynn taking third at 12-over.
One of the best moments of the closing round came from Ballinrobe’s Jarlath King, who recorded the first hole-in-one of his career on the par-3 13th.
Cadden’s victory adds his name to the long list of champions at County Sligo and marks him as another young player to watch on the Irish amateur scene. Winning the West of Ireland requires more than talent. It demands control, resilience, and the ability to deliver under pressure. This week, Cadden showed all three.
From 1923 through 2018, the West of Ireland was a match play tournament but the format was switched to 72 holes of stroke play in 2019 before reverting to match play in 2022. Originally held in July, it was moved to coincide with Easter but now it is...
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