Tommy is tops in the Infantry Cup at Lisburn

Mark Jamieson and Declan Marsden leaders in Group 3.

The competition was played over the front nine on a cool dry day. The course was in excellent condition considering the time of year. With over 140 entries a good round was required to lift the trophy.

Tommy opened with a double bogey seven followed by a bogey five. He made amends with back to back to birdies to get seven points in the next two holes. He stumbled with another double bogey at the fifth but a birdie three at the seventh followed by two pars gave him ten points for the last three holes and a total of 23 to win on count back from Ivor Walker (17) and Mervyn Hewitt (18).

Four players finished on 22: Stefan Symura, Colin Smyth, David Tinsley and Cecil Crawford.

There was a close finish to the Whitlock Cup for the best gross score. Ivan Leathem and Stefan Synura both completed the nine holes in 36 with Mark Jamieson, Norman McNellis and Trevor Murphy one stroke in arrears. Ivan’s birdie three at the ninth helped to clinch the cup on count back.

There is still competition for the play-offs in the Winter League.

In Group 1 Brian Sparkes & Graham Kerr and Ricky Neill & Terry Smith remain unbeaten. Martin Blakely & Richard Leathem and Mervyn Law & Mervyn Hewitt are joint leaders of Group 2. Group 3 is very open with Declan Marsden and Mark Jamieson leading on 14 points. They are two points ahead of three pairs on 12 points: Ivor Walker & Stephen Shaw, Martin McDonald & Michael Rooney and Gavin Hawkins & Stephen Stewart.

Neil Thompson & Norman Lambe maintained their 100% record in Group 4, two points ahead of Jim Cunningham & Jim McBratney.

Group 5 leaders, Tommy Beattie & Andrew Gibb have a two point advantage over their rivals. Peter Cairns and David Megrath are clear leaders in Group 6. Ian Shane & Tom Dougherty and Stephen Leathem & Sam McCallister lead Group 7 with 16 points, two points ahead of Eddie Rowan & Uel Graham. Roy Stewart & Kenny Gilmore remain unbeaten in Group 8.

Wednesday Stableford: 1st Philip Stewart 21 pts, 2nd Derek McAfee, 3rd Ivor McCandless 21 pts. After five rounds of the Sunday winter league Cecil Crawford and Paul Dixon lead Brian Houston by two points with Brian Rainey a further point adrift.