Christopher heads Thelma cup qualifier at Dunmurry

Once again good scores were at a premium with Christopher Sweeney (15), David Kennedy (28), Jim Whitley (12) and Aaron O’Rorke (7) all managing to post ‘best of the day’ nett 67’s.

With the final positions decided on count back, it was Christopher who came out on top, courtesy of his back nine score.

The fifteen-handicapper made a slow start, mixing three double bogeys with a couple of pars, over the front nine, reaching the turn in ten over par.

He stormed the back nine, however, dropping just two shots at the twelfth and fifteenth which gave him a fine nett 67 and a back nine target which was not to be beaten.

David took second place, using his 28 handicap to useful effect, parring the first, tenth and fourteenth, and playing steady golf over the course of his round.

Indeed he may have grabbed top billing but for a sloppy finish, double bogeying his final three holes.

Jim Whitley took third place on the count back, but will regret a triple bogey seven at the fifteenth that proved costly in the final standings. 
He showed tremendous resolve, however, to bounce back from that disaster to par the final three holes to get into the tie.

Aaron O’Rorke finished out the nett 67 bunch in fourth place, the fifteenth once again proving costly, a double bogey there, marring his excellent round of 74 gross.

The contest for the best gross was equally as tight, with Stephen and Darren Crowe both shooting two under par 68’s

The plus-2 handicap brothers, playing alongside one another, fought tooth and nail, the outcome only decided on the final green, after Darren managed to secure a birdie, to beat Stephen on count back, over the last six holes.

Darren’s birdie also proved decisive overall, as it secured him the 16th and final spot in the knockout stages of the Thelma, pushing Stephen outside the cut mark.

There was some mixed fortunes for Dunmurry’s teams over the past week.

The Jimmy Bruen team failed to take one of the qualifying berths on offer at Rockmount on Sunday, finishing well off the pace.

The Fred Daly team fared much better, moving into the third round of the competition after a resounding victory over Rockmount.

They secured a five and a half to one and a half lead, from the home leg, to take to Rockmount, and made short work of the tie, when Chris Morgan and Peter Morgan, duly won the top two matches.