McKeever trots home to win the Pearson's Turkeys Open

Keith Stott (10) found that his 42 points was enough to lift the top accolade with his steady play proving the deciding factor. Michael Lynch (20) with his well compiled 41 point tally lifted second prize but his closest friends will have to listen to how things could have been so much better but for ugly blanks at seven and nine.

George Phillips (13) has been pressing for admission to the winner’s circle for the last few weeks and his 39 points got him third place on this occasion by virtue of a back 9 Break of Tie. For George, again, the difficult Par Three fifteenth hole proved the undoing of his title challenge. The gross prize was taken by Declan Hasson (5) with 38 points.

Members are reminded that the Thursday Open programme continues until September 2nd, this Saturday is the George Sweeney Fourball Betterball and Sunday sees an Open Stableford Competition to replace the postponed Mixed Foursomes.

On a blustery, sticky, heavy shower prone day it was difficult to keep concentration intact as members played for the superb prizes in the Pearson’s Turkeys Open, at Prehen, on Saturday.

By the end of the day the conditions had ensured that a modest total would be good enough for first place and that score was amassed by Chris McKeever (16) with 40 points. Chris needed all his skill to keep the chasing flock at bay as big-hitting Gary Leckey (10) demonstrated that he was anchored enough on the big ball to be able to strike the small ball even in windy conditions.

Gary’s 39 points was good enough for second spot but only by virtue of a back nine break of tie. The man on the wrong side of that tie break was non other than the competition sponsor himself, George Pearson (22), who feathered his own nest with a finely compiled 39 points.

Fred Young (9) took the gross prize with 30points, Peter Hasson (10) lifted the Juvenile prize with 34 points and Rose Campbell (15) saw here 22 points good enough to lift the 13 hole prize for ladies. Stephen Ballard’s 21 points took the first nine prize and Edgar Walker’s 22 ensured that he lifted the prize for best back nine.

While the Thursday Open Programme continues to draw big weekly entries as local golfers enjoy the experience of tackling the challenging Prehen layout which is in fantastic condition.

This week the course was tamed by City of Derry 12 handicapper Aidan Devine with a marvellous 44 points. Marks Cocks(13) lost out on the narrowest of margins when his 42 point tally fell just one short. Eamon McCourt (9) must have thought that he had the competition in his pocket when he holed out on the fifteenth with a fabulous wedge shot but he had not counted on Devine’s consistent brilliance.

The gross was lifted by Ernie Heywood (2) with a fine 37 points and the best visitor was Paul McGuigan (2) from Foyle Golf Club with a credible 38 points.