Felix to the fore at Raceview

THE Wilson’s of Rathkenny-sponsored competition at Ballymena Golf Club was won by Felix McQuillan.
Maurice Wylie, Nigel McCullough and Dylan Cole who took part in the Wilsons of Rathkenny sponsored competition at Ballymena Golf Club. INBT19-235ACMaurice Wylie, Nigel McCullough and Dylan Cole who took part in the Wilsons of Rathkenny sponsored competition at Ballymena Golf Club. INBT19-235AC
Maurice Wylie, Nigel McCullough and Dylan Cole who took part in the Wilsons of Rathkenny sponsored competition at Ballymena Golf Club. INBT19-235AC

Playing off a handicap of 12, he produced a total of 41 points, despite two holes where he failed to score.

The first nine holes saw him score 21 points which came via five pars, two bogeys plus a birdie on the ninth, while one of those non-scoring holes was the 103-metre seventh.

The second nine produced six pars, bogeys on the 10th and 16th, while the second non-score came on the final hole, but Felix had still managed a further 20 points.

That second nine total was important as he needed it to see off runner-up Bruce McKenzie, who also had 41 points, but only 17 of them on the homeward stretch.

Bruce had experienced quite a mixed opening nine where he had more birdies - four of them - than pars but against that he had bogey at the second and a double bogey at the eighth to be one under gross and have 24 points under his belt at the turn.

The 11-handicapper entered the back nine with three bogeys and the remaining six holes yielded two pars and four bogeys for those 17 points.

Third nett was taken by Derek O’Kane (11) who had the best of three 40-point returns after scoring 20 points on each nine.

A front nine of three over gross was boosted by an eagle three on the par five third and despite having dropped five shots, he still registered 20 points.

Derek was level par after the first five holes of the back nine but his round went astray as he dropped a shot on each of the remaining four holes.

Despite that, his second nine of 20 points was enough to push Clifford Worthington (14) into fourth place.

Clifford’s front nine was made up of five pars plus four bogeys for 21 points and the second nine also contained five pars, along with three bogeys but Clifford will look back at the 15th - where he had a quadruple bogey eight for no points - with regret.

His second nine of 19 points was equal to David Small but Worthington had a better last six-hole total, despite that non-score at the 15th.

Small finished fifth nett and the 10-handicapper had a first nine of two over gross for 21 points, boosted by a birdie at the opening hole which was worth four points on its own.

The second nine saw David drop four shots to par which converted into 19 points, only to lose out over those last six holes.

The final nett prize was won by Paul Darragh (5) who amassed 39 points, 20 coming from the second nine.

Paul’s first nine of eight pars plus a lone dropped shot on the par four sixth had yielded 19 points, while his back nine produced six pars and bogeys at 11 and 16, one of which he retrieved with a birdie on the final hole.

The best gross card was posted by one-handicapper John Robinson who completed the course in one over par, 69 shots.

John’s card was made up of 11 pars, four bogeys and birdies at the third, 11th and 13th.

MAY DAY OPEN

Brian Crawford celebrated the May Day holiday with victory in the open stableford competition where he returned 40 points.

Having commenced his round double bogey, bogey, Brian clicked into gear and played the next seven holes with five pars, a birdie at the third and a bogey at the sixth, for 22 points.

The 14-handicapper dropped a shot on each of the first five holes of the back nine but that was followed with three pars, only to finish with a non-event on the final hole, to add 18 points to his tally.

Second nett was Wesley Smyth (16) who scored 38 points, from equal nines of 19.

A front nine of four pars, three bogeys plus double bogeys on the sixth and eighth was added to on the back nine by with seven bogeys plus pars at 13 and 16.

John Robinson (1) won his second Best Gross prize inside three days when he completed the course in two over par, 70 shots.

LADIES

Ballymena Golf Club’s Team Waltz Open competition - sponsored by Wilson’s - was won by the trio of Jacqui Brown, Jill Crockard and Liz Small.

They accumulated 79 points around the Raceview course, four more than closest rivals and runners-up, Judy Watson (Galgorm Castle), Betty Smyth and Joan Kielty.

Jacqui Brown was the star of the show as she also had two twos on her card. Three other competitors - Hilary Hendron, Heather McGarry and Olive Montgomery - also recorded twos.

INTER-CLUB NEWS

* The Jimmy Bruen team finished third in the qualifying at Raceview and now play Hilton at Massereene, while Massereene face Galgorm Castle at Raceview.

* The Ulster Cup team advanced to the next round having beaten Lisburn over two games. They now play Fortwilliam,.

* On the debit side, the Jimmy Carroll’s team were defeated by five points in their game at Balmoral.

THIS WEEK

The competition this Saturday, May 18, is the GUI Centenary four-ball betterball, with open stableford competitions scheduled for Sunday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 22.

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