West of Ireland - Road to the title
Robbie Cannon made up for a mistake on the 17th with a brilliant birdie at the 18th to reach the final of the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open at Co Sligo. © Brian Keogh
RADISSON BLU SPONSORED WEST OF IRELAND AMATEUR OPEN, CO SLIGO GC
Final - Jack Hume (Naas) beat Robert Cannon (Balbriggan) 1 hole
1230 - Robbie Cannon hit a wondershot to six inches at the 18th to beat Reeve Whitson by one hole and set up a Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland final showdown with Naas' Jack Hume this afternoon.
The Balbriggan man came back from two two after two to win four of the next six holes to go two up but was pegged back to all square with three to play.
He birdied the 16th from 15 feet to go one up again but lost the 17th to a solid four from Whitson.
At the 18th, Whitson hit a three wood out of the neck that came up well short and right in the rough with Cannon's drive more than 50 yards ahead in the light rough on the right.
Whitson played for the left side, hoping a chip and putt par might be enough to force extra holes but Cannon hit his 102 yard approach stone dead to win by one hole.
"It was a good match and Robbie played really well so I can't complain," said Whitson. "I didn't hole the putts I had to hole. He made a great birdie on 16 and I clawed him back on 17 thinking that if I can get it down 18, like I did against Eddie McCormack, anything could happen.
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"I hit a three wood out — just necked it out right — and played left hoping Robbie might make a four but he hit a great shot in to six inches. Robbie played better than me so I can't complain. I'll just have to win her next year."
While Cannon was approximately two-under par for the 18 holes played with seven birdies and five bogeys on his "card", Hume had six birdies and just one bogey in his 16 holes as he beat West Waterford's Gary Hurley 3 and 2.
He birdied the second and third to remain all square but then birdied the fourth and fifth to go two up and claimed the sixth and eighth to double his lead.
“If he plays like that this evening, he’ll be tough to beat”
Four up through the turn, he lost the 12th to a Hurley birdie and then bogeyed the 15th to see his lead reduce to just two holes.
But he closed out the match with a two at the tough, par-three 16th to reach this afternoon's decider.
"I played well and putted very well," Hume said. "It was a good match and Gary came back at me at the end and birdied 12 to win the hole and I made my only bogey of the round on 14 when I was at the back of the green and three-putted from there.
"But I made a nice birdie on 16 to close out the match so it's Robbie at half one. I've never played him before but we get on well so I'm looking forward to it."
Like Whitson, Hurley had no complaints about his defeat.
"He played really well, especially off the tee," Hurley said. "It's not like I gave it to him. He went out and won it and if he plays like that this evening, he'll be tough to beat.
"I was really happy with my week after shooting six over in the first round of qualifying. But I came back well. I needed a good one to get into the matchplay (67) and played really well from there, a lot better than in the strokeplay.
"I played really well again today but just missed a few crucial putts for halves on the front nine and Jack went on a run of birdies and well, he's very composed. I wish him the best this evening. He jut played better than me."
RADISSON BLU SPONSORED WEST OF IRELAND AMATEUR OPEN, CO SLIGO GC
Final - (1.30pm) Robert Cannon (Balbriggan) v Jack Hume (Naas)
Semi-finals
Robert Cannon (Balbriggan) bt Reeve Whitson (Mourne) 1 hole
Jack Hume (Naas) bt Gary Hurley (West Waterford) 3/2
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The semi-finals are underway in the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Championship at Rosses Point. It's another beautiful day at Rosses Point, warm and sunny with a steady, 10mph east-southeast wind gusting to 20mph at most.
In the first semi-final, Reeve Whitson won the first with a par and the second in birdie to go two up on Robbie Cannon.
However, Cannon birdied the third to get back to one down before squaring the match at the sixth. The Balbriggan man then went two up through eight holes before Whitson won the ninth in par to go through the turn one down.
Light winds and brilliant sunshine greeted the semi-finalists at Rosses Point.
Cannon won the 10th to go two up again but was bunkered in two at the 11th and lost the hole to see his lead reduced to one up.
Gary Hurley and Jack Hume halved the first two holes in par and the third in birdies before Hume won the fourth, fifth and sixth in birdie to go three up.
The Naas man then won the eighth with another birdie to go four up and holed a 12 footer for a half in par at the ninth to turn four up.
