Ballycastle Golf Club Competition Report

As a result of the weather, there was a slightly reduced field for the Margy Cup on Saturday, with around eighty dedicated members venturing out to tackle the unpleasant conditions. Patrick Campbell, playing off twenty, is this year’s winner, as he returned a best of the day total of 37 points which included a very impressive 21 points over the exposed back nine holes. Second place went to four handicapper John Callan with 36 points, Owen Kennedy, playing off five, was third also with 36 points and Colin Smyth, playing off eighteen, took the fourth prize ahead of Shay Paul Duffin on count back after they both recorded scores of 36 points. Francis McGinn picked up the gross prize on Saturday for a five over par round which yielded him 31 gross points.

Conditions improved slightly on Sunday for the PGA Tankard competition and Steven Devlin, playing off nineteen, was the winner, finishing just ahead of Colin Millar on count back after both golfers finished with excellent totals of 42 points. Steven goes on to represent the club in the regional finals later in the season.

Count back was also required to determine third place on Sunday with Tony Connolly’s back nine score of 20 points giving him the edge over Sean Brogan and Paul Scott after all three had returned scores of 38 points.

Sean McCullough was in top form in the stableford competition on Wednesday as he carded 41 points to win by two from Robert Wilson in second place with Brendan Black in third on 38 points and Shay Paul Duffin in fourth on 37 points.

Next Saturday, the Glens of Antrim Cup stroke play competition will be held. An open charity team competition is scheduled for Sunday with the best three stableford scores at each hole to count. The club will also be holding a Bank Holiday open stableford competition on Monday 30th May.

Sunday will be a busy day for a couple of the club’s GUI teams as the Junior Cup boys will be travelling the short distance to Gracehill Golf Club to take part in the qualifying event there while the Ulster Cup team will be hosting Ballyliffin in an attempt to overturn a 5-2 deficit from the away leg.