Competitions back to 18-hole format at Galgorm

At halfway in Division 1 Neville Neill (8) held a two point advantage over Trevor Fleming (8) with Neill Candlish (6) another point behind.

Another two points down came Gary Marks (7) and David Stirling (8) who were a point ahead of Stephen Logan (8). Gary McWilliams (9) and Wilson McVeigh (6) were another two points behind followed by Gary Boyd (10) (‘ding’ at four) who was another point down. Through thirteen Candlish had moved into a one point lead from Fleming and an improving Marks (two pars and two birdies). Neill was following one point further behind. McVeigh and Logan were another three points behind with Boyd a further point away. McWilliams (‘ding’ at eleven) and Stirling were a point behind Boyd.

With two holes to play Candlish was joined by Fleming in the lead two points ahead of Marks (‘ding’ at Beechers). Boyd and Neill were close up a point behind. Another point further behind came Logan who was a point ahead of McWilliams and Stirling with McVeigh another point behind. Candlish finished with two pars to win by three points from Fleming (two bogeys) who took the Gross prize.

Marks (two bogeys) and Boyd (bogey, par) finished together and with a better back nine Boyd finished second with Marks third. Entering the back nine in Division 2 Raymond Ardis (12), Michael Nesbitt (14) and Joe Barr (15) were vying for the lead a point ahead of Rod Lennox (12) who in turn was two points ahead of Chris Cooke (11). One point behind Cooke came Thomas McNeill (11) (‘ding’ at three) and Jonathan McCart (13).

Over the next four holes Lennox with a run of three pars and a birdie moved into a two point advantage over Barr who was one point clear of Nesbitt and Ardis. McCart, Cooke and McNeill were one, two and three points respectively further behind. Three more pars from Lennox and he was fout points clear of Ardis, Nesbitt and an improving Cooke (birdie and two pars).

Disaster struck Lennox over the closing two holes when he finished double bogey, ‘ding’ and was joined by M.Nesbitt (bogey, birdie) but with a better back nine Rod Lennox managed to hold on to win with M.Nesbitt second. In an exciting finish for third place Cooke (par, ‘ding’), Ardis (two bogeys), McNeill (birdie, bogey), McCart (two pars) and Barr (two pars) finished together and with a better back six McNeill took third place.

In Division 3 after the front nine Michael Montgomery (16) and Terence Martin (17) were two points ahead of Gerard Lynn (17) and Norman Nicholl (17). Through Arthurs Seat Montgomery had moved into a two point lead from Martin (‘ding’ at eleven) who was joined by Nicholl with Lynn close up a point behind.

Montgomery continued to lead and although hitting bogey trouble came home double bogey, bogey to win by two points from Martin (double bogey, par) and Lynn (bogey, par) and with a better back nine Lynn finished second and Martin third.

In Division 4 after the outward nine Colin Orr (21) was two points ahead of James Rea (26) followed by Jim Millar (21) and Amarnath Dan (21) at one and two points respectively further behind.

Rea with a par, birdie, birdie, bogey opened up a three point lead from Orr with Millar and Dan another point behind. A double bogey, bogey was sufficient to see Rea home by two points from Orr (par, bogey). Dan (two bogeys) and Millar (two bogeys) were together at the finish and with a better back nine Dan took third place.