Kyle Buchanan wins the Lions Cup with 46 points

The course is standing up reasonably well despite all the rain. The calculated standard scratch score was nett 67 or 38 points. Seven players equalled the CSS and seventeen managed to better it.

The magnificient seven on 38 points were Ruairi Gillen (10), Kenny Jones (18), Cathal O’Neill (11), Jonathan Brush (12), John J. Lennon (11), Roy McAfee (13) and Scott Nelson (11).

Another seven players finished with 39 points namely Declan Dooher (14), Merton McDowell (22), Jim Matthews (13), Alan Caughey (12), Bobby Geddis (11), Jonathan Burns (5) and Philip Strong (20).

Alan Magowan (13) and Philip Mallon (10) were alone on 40 points. That score was good enough to give Philip the prize for the best senior player.

Paddy Malcolmson (15), Glenn Buchanan (24) and David McAllister (17) finished just outside the main prizes with 41 points each.

Matthew Mallon (5) went round in level par gross 69 and that gave him 42 points. He finished in fifth place but he won the coveted best gross prize. Matthew is slowly but surely maturing into one of the best players in the golf club.

John McGowan (23) was fourth in the Lions Cup with 43 points. He had a great chance of winning with five holes to play. Maybe he got nervous but he finished with four bogeys and a ding. That was sad!

Michael Beattie (19) is fast making a name for himself. He was third with his score of 43 points. He too played the last five holes rather poorly, dropping five shots. He will learn from the experience and a major victory can’t be far away.

Paul Clydesdale (11) was runner-up with 44 points. He played really well but three bogeys over the last four proved costly. Those four holes are so crucial to a good score.

It’s wonderful to see the number of new players featuring in the prizes. The winner of the Lions Cup is a relative newcomer to the club but he has obviously picked up the rudiments of the game.

Kyle Buchanan (24) won his first major competition with a brilliant score of 46 points. That equates to a nett 59 and equals the best nett score of the season so far.

Kyle, you are not going to forget your first major win in a hurry and let’s hope it’s the first of many.

Well done!