Bobby gets the verdict after some keen scoring at Lurgan

Three golfers managed a five under par total of 41 points and the usual count back system came into operation. By virtue of a better last six score it was Bobby Creaney who prevailed with his effort of 41 points.

The thirteen handicapper registered a tidy six pars on his card through the opening nine holes. However he dropped five strokes over holes four, seven and nine and this took some of the gloss of his stream of pars.

He played quite solidly on the back nine to record further pars at holes ten, twelve and seventeen. He birdied the eighteenth and this proved the clinching score of the round. This strong finale enabled him to get his hands on the trophy.

Runner-up was Peter Devlin with a similar haul of 41 points. This seven handicapper had a bogey on the third and double bogeys on holes six and thirteen. Birdies on holes one, four and twelve reduced some of the deficit. Par figures were racked up on the rest of the holes. This gross seventy two provided him with second spot.

Another total of 41 points helped Iain Mulholland to the third net prize on the day. This thirteen handicapper had a range of scores from a no-return at the first to a double bogey on the fourteenth. A birdie at the fourth and pars at holes two, three, five and eight put him in contention through nine holes. He kept his poise on the back nine and kept his nose in front with a quintet of pars at holes ten, eleven, thirteen, sixteen and seventeen. This level of play ensured him a major net award.

A level par effort of 36 gross points earned Chris Watt this coveted weekly prize. This two handicapper dropped single strokes at holes six, eleven, sixteen and seventeen. He reprised with birdies on holes two, four, five and eighteen. Needless to say pars were his lot on the other ten holes. This gross seventy secured him this category award.

The low section was ultra competitive with nineteen golfers firing scores under the par. Seven handicapper Paul Lyness took the honours with a well-fashioned tally of 40 points. Paul was competitive on both sides of the course.

He birdied holes one and ten but incurred bogeys on holes three, seven, eleven, thirteen and fourteen. Pars were recorded over the remaining eleven holes. It was a dour struggle and Paul only shaded the verdict thanks to his better scoring on the final three holes of play.

A competent 14 golfers produced under par returns in the middle handicap grouping.

Coner McConville took the spoils with his total of 40 points. Playing off an eighteen handicap Paul had no major mishaps and had just two double bogeys on his card. His best run of play was his closing four pars on the outward nine and crucial pars on the tenth and twelfth on the back nine. A good run of net pars guided him to the winning podium.

Finally in the high section only five golfers registered a score of 37 points or better. Heading the section was Henry Jordan with an enterprising tally of 39 points. This 23 handicapper opened his account with a birdie at the first and followed it with pars at holes five, eight and nine. He played robustly over the inward nine to pencil in vital pars at holes ten, thirteen, seventeen and eighteen. In spite of two triple bogeys and seven double bogeys he still managed to hold onto the section prize.

The other splendid scoring on the day was achieved by the following:

40 pts: Nathan McCann, Peter Cummins.

39 pts: Philip Shaw, Paul McConaghy, Lawrence McGrady, Garfield Harrison, Anthony Gallery, Charlie McConville, Gary McMahon, Eamon McCarron, Hugh McCloskey.

38 pts: Ronan Smyth, Ben McKnight, Kieran Walsh, Jim Kennedy, Bill Leslie, Peter Simpson, Gareth McConville.

37 pts: Brian Scullion, Eamon Lynch, Colin Thompson, John O’Neill, Morris Lyness, Kevin McKavanagh, Damian Murphy, Raymond Farrell, Conor McDonald, John McEvoy, Robbie McVeigh, Derek Johnston, Thomas Maguire.