McNeilly holds on to claim Brooke Trophy medal success at Galgorm

The players were level after eighteen but McNeilly with a better back nine was the Overall winner.

At halfway Reid and Jonathan Murray (7) were leading by one shot from Willie Park (9) and Kori Gamble (8). McNeilly was another shot behind with Keith Barkley (9) and Michael Alexander (6) a further shot away.

Through Thirteen Reid was joined in the lead by Park and McNeilly with Murray, Barkley and Gamble a shot behind. Alexander had fallen another three shots back after a double bogey at the par 3 twelfth. Up the Grove and with two left to play Reid was one shot ahead of McNeilly. Barkley and Murray were another two shots behind with Park and Gamble a further shot away.

Alexander with the help of a birdie at the Devils Elbow came back into contention and joined Park and Gamble. Reid finished with a double bogey, par and was joined by McNeilly (two pars) who with a better back nine was the Overall winner with Reid runner-up.

Another shot behind Barkley finished with two pars to take Division 1. Park with two pars finished second, a shot behind Barkley. Murray (double bogey, par), Gamble (bogey, par) and Alexander (bogey, par) finished together and Alexander with a better back nine took third place.

In Division 2 at the turn Andrew Ballentine 15) and Bryan Logan (11) had a comfortable four shot advantage over James McKervill (11) who was a shot ahead of Martin Laverty (13) and Gary Boyd (11). Approaching the fourteenth tee Boyd had moved up into a challenging position one shot behind the leader Ballentine. Logan dropped three shots to par at the Maple and was now three shots behind the leader along with Laverty and McKervill.

With one to play Logan had bounced back with a run of four pars to lead by one shot from Ballentine and Boyd. Laverty and McKervill were at one and two shot intervals further behind. Logan and Ballentine parred eighteen to finish together but with a better back nine Ballentine took first place. Boyd double bogeyed the last and was joined by McKervill (par) and Laverty (bogey) and with a better back six third place went to Laverty.

Entering the back nine in Division 3 Peter Connon (17) held a narrow one shot advantage over Peter McMullan (18). David McIlroy (16) was another three shots adrift.

Through thirteen Connon had increased his lead to two shots with McIlroy still three shots behind McMullan. Connon struggled with a triple bogey at Beechers and with two to play McMullan and Connon were level, three shots ahead of McIlroy.

In a final flourish McMullan with a bogey, double bogey went on to win by two shots from Connon (triple bogey, double bogey) and McIlroy (two bogeys) who finished together. McIlroy claimed second place with a better back nine.

Andrew McKibben (20) was one shot ahead of John McFarland (20) after the front nine in Division 4. James Campbell (26), Raymond Steele (20) and Robert Barkley (21) were lying another shot behind. After the Maple McKibben was still holding onto his one shot advantage over McFarland with Campbell another shot down. A further shot behind Campbell came Barkley with Steele another three shots adrift after a triple bogey at the Fort.

Approaching the Lowlands two new leaders emerged, McFarland and Campbell taking over from McKibben to lead by one shot. Steele and Barkley were another two shots away.

Campbell with a bogey, double bogey finish came home to win by two shots from McKibben (two double bogeys) in second. McFarland faded over the closing two holes after running into bogey trouble and was joined by Steele (par, double bogey) and Barkley (two bogeys) a shot behind McKibben and a third place finish went to Steele with a better back nine.

Steven Penney (1) won the Gross prize and the Seniors was won by Brian Sims (18).

JP CORRY STABLEFORD

The results of the above Stableford competition sponsored by JP Corry were as follows.

Overall Winner – Jonathan McCart (13) 42 pts (BB9) – Runner-up – Ronnie Gilchrist (21) 42 pts – Division 1 – 1st. Simon Nicholl (6) 39 pts – 2nd. Trevor Alexander (10) 39 pts – Division 2 – 1st.Chris Cooke (12) 41 pts – 2nd. Alan McClements (11) 38 pts (BB9) – Division 3 – 1st. Malachy Kyne (19) 40 pts – 2nd. Reginald McDowell (19)~ 39 pts – Division 4 – 1st. Tony Dodds (26) 40 pts – 2nd.Eric Boyce (24) 40 pts – Gross – Philip Graham (-1) 36 pts – Seniors – Michael Casson (12) 40 pts (BB9).