David keeps his cool towin Winter League prize

On Saturday morning frosty conditions prevailed but later in the morning some crisp and sunny weather developed. Out of the encouraging field of 220 some 87 golfers registered scores of 29 points or better for the regulation fourteen holes.

With a tremendous score of 36 points David Herron was the overall weekly winner of this competition. He opened his account with a bogey, par, birdie sequence. Three further pars came his way on the front nine. On the inward nine more pars were achieved on holes ten, twelve and seventeen. He rounded off his successful day with a birdie four on the eighteenth. His good play on both sevens was duly rewarded.

The weekly gross prize was captured by Gary Clarke. This scratch player was through the fourteen holes with three birdies, ten pars and a bogey on the second. Holes eight, ten and fourteen yielded the vital birdies. His 30 gross points topped the leader board.

In the Low section seventeen golfers posted under par scores. However a wonderful total of 35 points earned Canice McGivern top marks in the division. This nine handicapper produced a level par round to bring about this result. On the day he notched birdies on holes eight and eighteen. On the obverse side he took bogeys on holes two and fifteen. Pars were obtained on the rest of the holes. A better back seven score ensured Niall Hoy the runners-up spot. The seven handicapper took the honours with 33 points. He also posted a level par round. He made bogeys on holes two and three but reduced the deficit with birdies on holes ten and eighteen. Pars were his lot on the other holes. Thus Colin Thompson had to settle for third place with his effort of 33 points. The six handicapper incurred bogeys on holes three and eight but recovered with birdies also on holes ten and eighteen. Pars on the rest saw him home.

The other golfers with sub par totals were as follows:

32: Paul Dickson, William McMillan.

31: Garfield Harrison, Damian Murphy, John Hartnett, Jim McKee, Laurence McGrady, Francie Tallon.

30: Brian Hanratty, Gary Clarke, Caolan McCann.

29: Jason & Nathan McCann, Morris Lyness.

In the Middle section a very commendable 38 golfers registered under par totals. Outgoing Captain Patrick Meehan topped the pool with a tally of 36 points. Playing off a ten handicap Patrick was through the opening seven with six pars and a bogey on the third. On the homeward leg he had a birdie, bogey start. Thence followed four pars and a birdie on the last. Indeed he needed a better last six score to edge ahead. Accordingly James Toland’s 36 points was placed second. This eleven handicapper had four pars and a bogey on the opening five holes. Birdies on holes eight and nine provided fresh impetus. His inward seven comprised five pars to go along with bogeys on holes twelve and fourteen. Third net in the section went to Christopher Creaney. Also playing off an eleven handicap Chris had a sound 35 points. A birdie at the second and pars at holes three, five and eight signalled his intent. He was level par on the back nine thanks to a birdie on the eleventh, a bogey on twelve and five pars. The other scores in red came from the following.

34: Terry Eagers, Daire Hogan, Bobby Creaney.

33: John Wells, Ray Farrell, Billy Bateman, John McCaffrey, Kieran Patterson.

32: Neale McKinstry, Diarmuid Mitchell, Des Gregg, David Lennon.

31: Tom Parker, Gary Lyons, David Moore, Paul McKernan, Nevan Lavery, Gerard Henderson, John McAleer.

30: Laurence Mitchell, Dermot Lavery, Ronan Smyth.

29: Martin McNeice, Robert McVeigh, Eugene Maguire, Conor McDonald, Anthony Gallery, David Johnston, Steven Kane, Paul McConaghy, Colin Robb, Seamus McKeown, John Forrester.

In the High section an encouraging 32 golfers were under the par for the 14 holes. Again a score of 36 points was needed to capture first place. Nineteen handicapper Paul P Magee stole the show. Paul had an excellent six pars on the front seven. A triple bogey at the sixth was his only wayward hole. Pars at holes eleven and twelve and a birdie on the eighteenth were the highlights of his homeward seven. He had an one point margin of victory. Veteran Derek Johnston was second with a worthy total of 35 points. The 20 handicapper was well to the fore through seven holes with crucial pars at holes one, two, eight and nine. A brace of pars at holes ten and eighteen were his further exemplary scores. The hero of Portrush the previous week, Jim Hanratty, nudged himself into third place. Off his 17 handicap James had an effort of 34 points. A quartet of pars at holes one, three, five and nine gave him a head start to the inward seven. A birdie on the twelfth and pars on the closing two holes was further evidence of his good play.

The following golfers were under the par for the fourteen holes:

34: Francie McKenna; 33: Gareth Murphy; 32: Wilf Elliott, Martin King, John McComb, Ronan McCrory, Michael McHugh, Joe McGlone; 31: Trevor Field, Martin Fagan; 30: Neal Carson, Ronald Bruce, Andrew Best, Pat McCorry, Kieran McCorry, Greg McGurk, Henry Jordan, David O’Neill, Brian Curran, Sean McEvoy; 29: Bill Leslie, Eugene McAtamney, Colin Darling, Dan Moore, Mervyn Blackburn, Sean McClean, Nigel Girvan, Jim Gartland, Jonathan Lawless.

After two weeks the Fed-ex Top 15 handicap standings are as follows:

Low: 64 pts: Paul Dickson, Niall Hoy; 63 pts: Timmy Cummins, Canice McGivern; 62 pts: William McMillan; 61 pts: Brian Hanratty, Garfield Harrison, Caolan McCann; 60 pts: Nathan McCann, Laurence McGrady, Francie Tallon; 59 pts: Kieran Magee, Colin Thompson; 58 pts: John Hartnett; 57 pts: Gary Clarke, Olcan Kearney, Jim McKee, Sean Toman.

Middle: 67: Christopher Creaney; 66: Bobby Creaney; 65: James Toland; 64: Kevin Brennan, Terry Eagers; 63: Paul McKernan; 62: Patrick Meehan; 61: Ian Harrson, Gary Lyons, Paul McConaghy, Tom Parker.

60: Des Gregg, Steven Kane, Eugene Maguire, David Moore, Colin Robb, Ronan Smyth.

High: 68: Paul Magee, Gareth Murphy; 67: John McComb, Francis McKenna; 65: Martin Fagan; 64: Derek Johnston, Dan Moore; 63: Colin Darling; 62: Jim Gartland, Jim Hanratty; 61: Brian Curran, Henry Jordan, Sean McClean, Ronan McCrory; 60: Neal Carson, Terry King.