Gareth takes President’s Day honours at Galgorm Castle

Nineteen handicapper Gareth Elliot held a comfortable three point lead at the turn from William Rainey playing off 23.

Alan Moore (7) was another point behind. A further point away came Owen Smith (5) and Jonathan McNeill (2). Rainey joined Elliot through the Maple with the help of pars on twelve and thirteen. They were three points ahead of Smith, Moore and McNeill.

A par over Beechers by Rainey moved him into a one point lead from Elliot which he held up the Grove. Rainey lost his chance of winning when he ‘dinged’ the last leaving Elliot with a bogey, par finish the Overall Winner by two points from Rainey.

Owen Smith (par, birdie) closed to within one point of Rainey and won Division 1. McNeill (bogey, par) and Alan Moore (bogey, ‘ding’) finished together a further three points behind and with a better back nine McNeill took second place with Moore third.

In Division 2 after the front nine Raymond Ardis (12) and John McCarley (12) were a point ahead of Rod Lennox (13) with Tony Carroll (12) and Paul McNeilly (14) another one and two points respectively further behind.

Posiutions changed over the next three holes with Ardis and McCarley dropping back after ‘dings’ at the Devils Elbow. Lennox and McNeilly were the new leaders, three points ahead of McCarley and Carroll with Ardis another point behind. Rod Lennox came home bogey, par to win by two points from McNeilly who was level with Lennox at the penultimate hole but ‘dinged’ the last and was joined by an improving Carroll with two pars. Second place went to McNeilly with a better back nine with Carroll in third place.

Adam Martin (18) held a comfortable six point lead from Andrew McLarnon (16) at the turn in Division 3. Austin McGillian (19) was another point away with Mark Donnelly (17) a further four points behind.

After the Grove Martin was five points clear of McGillian and Donnelly. Martin came home bogey, ‘ding’ for a comfortable three point win from McLarnon (bogey, par) in second. McGillian (two bogeys) and Donnelly (double bogey, bogey) finished together but with a better back nine third place went to Donnelly.

In Division 4 three players – John Fitzgerald (20), Trevor Galloway (21) and Barry Mott (22) – were to the forefront in the back nine. Fitzgerald held a two point advantage over Galloway and Mott entering the back nine. A ‘ding’ by Fitzgerald at the Fort and a birdie by Mott enabled the latter to take a one point lead over Galloway (par) who in turn was one point ahead of Fitzgerald. Up the Grove Galloway had closed to within one point of Mott with Fitzgerald two points further behind. Mott finished double bogey to win by one point from T Galloway (double bogey, bogey) with Fitzgerald (bogey, double bogey) third.

Overall Winner – Gareth Elliot (19) 46 pts; Overall Runner-up – William Rainey (23) 44 pts; Division 1 – 1. Owen Smith (5) 43 pts; 2. Jonathan McNeill (2) 40 pts (BB9); 3. Alan Moore (7) 40 pts

Division 2 – 1. Rod Lennox (13) 41 pts; 2. Paul McNeilly (14) 39 pts (BB9); 3. Tony Carroll (12) 39 pts.

Division 3 – 1. Adam Martin (18) 40 pts; 2. Andrew McLarnon (16) 37 pts; 3. Mark Donnelly (17) 36 pts (BB9).

Division 4 – 1. Barry Mott (22) 41 pts; 2. Trevor Galloway (21) 40 pts; 3. John Fitzgerald (20) 38 pts.

Gross – Michael Reid (-2) 41 pts; Seniors – Wilson McVeigh (7) 39 pts; Longest Drive - Stephen Black; Nearest the Pin - Jim McAuley.