McCourt jetting to Majorca to defend title

A total of 27 players, representing golf clubs from throughout the North-West and further afield, will contest the prestigious Travellers’ Trophy in Majorca, the tournament teeing off on Monday next, May 11.

Dominated by golfers from City of Derry and North West other players are drawn from Greencastle, Dunfanaghy, Newtownstewart, Portsalon, Ballynahinch and Portadown and, indeed, two are travelling from the Joondalup Club in Australia.

Mr. Willie Barrett, a long-standing tour party member of the City of Derry Club will be travelling again as the non-playing official.

Six former winners of the coveted tournament trophy are travelling this year, with last year’s winner Eamon McCourt (City of Derry) seeking to defend his title in what should prove to be closely contested.

Former winner, Portadown’s Stephen Wray and the recent victors such as this year’s City of Derry’s President, Mr. Maurice Quigg or two-time winner Eugene Dunbar, now playing out of the North West, will be keen to make an impact.

City of Derry members Tommy McBride (4) and another former winner, Brian Long (6), will be the lowest handicap players on tour and both are capable of winning the coveted Travellers Trophy at Santa Ponsa on Thursday week.

The draw for the team event took place last week in the Prehen clubhouse and the teams led by Ballynahinch’s Brian McClure, City of Derry’s Eamon McCourt and North West’s Brendan Coyle will all be fancied.

As has become tradition on this tour, the seven teams selected will play together in their respective teams on the first day before breaking up into the open format of the tournament over the following three days.

The draw for teams and the tee-off times for the first round resulted - Monday, May 11th, Poniente, 11.30am, Team 1 - Gary Leckey (10), Andy Meenagh (13), Trevor Finlay, Newtownstewart (18) and A. N. Other; 11.38, Team 2 - Brian Long (6), Pat Swaine, Portsalon (15), Kevin Barrett (16) and Oliver Logue (24); 11.46, Team 3 - Brian McClure, Ballynahinch (8), Karl Doherty (15), Maurice Quigg (20) and Danny McCloskey, NW (23); 11.54, Team 4 - Peter Villa (11), Michael McCullough (13), Peter Doherty, Australia (18) and John Hasson (19); 12.02pm, Team 5 - Eamon McCourt (11), Pat Mackey, NW (14), Leo Hickey, Australia (18) and George Pearson (21); 12.10, Team 6 - Tommy McBride (4), Eugene Dunbar, NW (15), Sean McKane (17) and Michael Gault, Dunfanaghy (21); 12.18, Team 7 - Brendan Coyle, NW (11), Stephen Wray, Portadown (11), Tommy O’Neill (17) and David Jones (19).