It is a pretty great month to be associated with Rory McIlroy.
Nine days after the future Hall of Famer from Northern Ireland secured the career grand slam at the 2025 Masters Tournament, 18-year-old Dylan Holmes from Greystones secured the West of Ireland Open Amateur Championship at County Sligo Golf Club in Rosses Point, Ireland.
Holmes defeated Colm Campbell 2 and 1 in a rain-affected final match.
“It’s incredible, I didn’t really have any expectations coming into this week,” Holmes told the Irish Examiner after the win.
“I played a great first 13 holes, some of the best golf I have ever played, and then I don’t know what happened to the weather, but it was worse than the first round, which was hard."
Holmes added to the Irish Examiner, “I guess I’m in with a few good names now, so it’s nice. McIlroy is incomparable.”
Holmes finished the stroke play qualifying at 10-over after rounds of 77 and 75, and he found his groove in the match play portion. He started with victories over Adam Smith 2 and 1, Greg O’Mahony 6 and 4, and David Kitt 1 up.
He defeated Jonathan Keane in the quarterfinals, where he only took the lead for the first time on the 19th hole.
Brian Keogh of the Irish Golf Desk did a great job encapsulating just how difficult the conditions were in the final match.
Holmes wins the West! pic.twitter.com/yjMtGyi7c1
— Brian Keogh (@IrishGolfDesk) April 22, 2025