West of Ireland 1945

County Sligo Golf Club, 31 March - 3 April 1945

Entry 48 (record)

The Irish Press of 4 April 1945 reported on Cecil Ewing's eighth West of Ireland win as follows:

CECIL EWING, Co. Sligo, recaptured the West of Ireland Golf Championship title by the substantial margin of four and three in the 36 holes final at Rosses Point from his old opponent, the holder, John Burke (Lahinch), to whom he lost it last year.

This is Ewing's eighth time to win this title. Burke held it on six occasions.

The winner was, assuredly, the giant of this year's championship, as with the exception of one competitor, who went to the 14th, not one other opponent took him beyond the 12th on his brilliant trek to the final.

After such a wonder display against J. Slattery in the semi-final on Monday, he was a warm favourite to take the title.

It was generally believed that, having struck such remarkably brilliant form which he never approached previously in his golfing career, even the redoubtable veteran, John Burke would be incapable of defeating him.

This proved to be the case. In the morning he was out in 38 and home in 36, against Burkes 39 each way to finish the first eighteen 2 up.

After an exchange of holes and succession of halves, Burke lost an easy chance to hole the 17th and a fine three at the 18th gave Ewing his two-hole lead.

In the afternoon, Burke played the 21st badly, duffing his second and crossing the green with his next he failed to get a six, while Ewing had an easy dyke. Burke also lost the 23rd to another dyke to be four down. Ewing holed a five-yarder at the 25th for an eagle and, also, won the next, where Burke's second was plugged, to be six up at the three-quarter way stage.

The Lahinch man sank a longish putt at the 28th for a dyke but, again, Ewing was six up after the next with a splendid four.

Luck seemed to turn in Burke's favour at this stage. Ewing just failed to negotiate a stymie at the 30th and lost the hole. He also lost the short 31st where he bunkered his tee shot. At the next, Ewing left Burke the last of these very few openings, but Burke failed to win with a four-foot putt. Bunkered with his second at the 33rd where Ewing had an easy bogey and the half conceded ended the match. 

Final (36 holes) - 3 April

Cecil Ewing (Co Sligo) beat John Burke (Lahinch) 4 and 3

Semi-finals - 2 April

Burke bt. Kelly, 4 and 3

Ewing bt. Slattery, 7 and 6.

Fourth Round - 2 April

F. X. Kelly (Portmarnock) bt. J.F Graham (Fortwilliam), 1 up

J. Burke (Lahinch) bt. B.J. Scannell (Woodbrook), 4 and 2

C. Ewing (County Sligo) bt. W. Smyth (Royal Co. Down), 5 and 4

J. Slattery (Lahinch) bt. G.H. Owens (Skerries), 1 up. 

Third Round - 1 April

Graham bt T. Mahon, 3 and 2

F.X. Kelly bt T. Bryan, 3 and 2

Scannell bt Troy, 4 and 3

Burke bt Fitzgerald, 4 and 2

Smyth bt Healy, 5 and 4

Ewing bt "Driver", 3 and 2

Slattery bt Dunne, 3 and 2

Owens bt C.A. Kelly, 3 and 2.

Second Round — 1 April

J. F. Graham (Fortwilliam) bt F. Coen (Athlone), 1 up

M..L. Mahon (Co. Sligo) w.o., H. Costello (Ballina) scr.

J.A.P. Bryan (Malone) bt V. Hamilton (Woodbrook), 1 up

F.X. Kelly (Portmarnock) bt M. Foster (Strandhill). 4 and 3.

Troy bt J. Malone. 4 and 3

Scannell bt Farrell, 4 and 3 

Fitzerald bt Murphy, 3-2

Burke bt Coogan, 5 and 4

Healy bt McGarry, 3 and 2

W. Smyth bt McCarthy, 1 up

"Driver " bt Howley, 4 and 3

Ewing bt O'Connor, 5-4

J. Dunne (Hermitage) bt E. Hanrahan (Sutton), 5 and 4

A. Slattery (Lahinch) bt J. Caldwell (Co. Sligo), at 19th

C. A. Kelly (Ballina) bt "J.P. Stroke" (Castlebar). 1 up

G.H. Owens (Skerries) bt W.J. Gill (Portmarnock), 1 up.

First Round - 31 March

K. Troy (Woodbrook) bt E. Power (Strandhill), 3 and 2

J. Malone (Dun Laoghaire) bt R. E. Davitt (Grange), 3 and 2

F.J. Farrell (Longford), w.o., Liam Howley (Royal Dublin) scr

B.J. Scannell (Woodbrook) bt M.P. Fitzpatrick (Sutton) 6 and 5

M.J. Murphy (Ballina) bt R.V. Woods (Banbridge), 3 and l

W.J. Fitzgerald (Bundoran) bt J.P. Door'y (Birr), 5 and 4

J. Coogan (Baltinglass) bt E.C. Doherty (Ballina), 1 up

John Burke (Lahinch), holder, bt P.J. O'Donohoe (Co. Sligo), 5 and 4

P. McGarry (Royal Dublin) bt J. McHugh (Mountcharles), 5 and 4

T. A. Healy (Royal Dublin) bt M. O'Hara (Co. Sligo),  2 and 1

W. Smyth (Royal Co. Down) bt F. Smyth Co Sligo), 1 up: 

C.J. McCarthy (Co. Sligo) bt T.P. Toher (Co. Sligo), 3 and 2.

J.P. "Driver" (Portmarnock) w.o., T.L. Mahon (Co. Sligo) scr.

F.P. Howley (Co. Sligo) bt P.F. Purcell (Portmarnock), 1 up

C. Ewing (Co Sligo) w.o. K. McHale (Woodbrook) scr.

W. O'Connor (Co. Sligo) bt P.A. Tracey (Ballina), 3 and 2.