Kevin shines with Baird Cup victory

ON a glorious summer day last Saturday Lurgan golfers competed for the Baird Cup. This stableford competition attracted entries just short of 250.

Once again the course was the winner as only eight golfers compiled under par returns. This was about three per cent of the field.

Kevin O’Loan was the outright winner of the competition with a splendid 39 points. This 13 handicapper made a good start on the opening nine with a birdie on the seventh and pars at holes five, eight and nine.

Moving onto the back nine Kevin posted valuable birdies on holes 10 and 17. Pars on holes 11 and 12 were his other useful scores.

His only flawed holes were the second and sixth where he incurred double bogeys. This tidy play earned this veteran some silverware for the season.

There were a number of returns on 38 points but in the end Gary McCollum was runner-up with his effort. This 12 handicapper was well placed through nine holes with pars on holes one, two, six, seven and eight.

A birdie on the tenth was a welcome start to the back nine. A trio of pars at holes 12, 15 and 18 were his other notable exploits.

Third net in the competition went to Damian Murphy with another tally of 38 points. This five handicapper made vital birdies on holes four, 12 and 17.

On the debit side he ran up bogeys on holes one, three, nine, 13, 14 and 15. Pars on the remaining holes allowed him to attain a winning gross 73 on the day

A score of 35 gross points helped Francie Tallon to the gross award. This three handicapper had his usual steady round.

Birdies came his way on holes five and 11 and they almost countered bogeys on holes seven, 14 and 16. Pars on the remaining holes helped him to the gross total.

In the low section John O’Neill took the honours with another effort of 38 points. John was level par through nine thanks to birdies at holes one, five and bogeys on holes seven and nine.

Pars were attained on the other five holes. More bogeys came his way on the twelfth and eighteenth holes. Alas three triple bogeys on the nine proved his nemesis.

In the middle section Peter Wright emerged victorious with a similar haul of 38 points. This 16 handicapper began with a birdie at the first and followed it with pars on holes four, five, seven and nine. However things were less salubrious on the inward nine as he only managed pars on holes 10 and 17.

Finally in the high section Kieran McCorry came up trumps with a level par effort of 36 points.

This 21 handicapper was best served by pars at holes two, eight, 16, 17 and 18. Unfortunately four double bogeys and a triple bogey during his round spoiled an even better card.

Martin Drain and Iain Mulholland also achieved returns of 37 points to join the rest of the brigade under par.