Mixed foursomes at Royal Portrush

The winners, Mr A Armstrong and Ms M Thompson, were playing off two and carded a gross 88.

A birdie four was picked up at the second and, even with a bad six at the ninth, they went out in 38 blows. The back nine proved more difficult for them but, even with a couple of unfortunate sevens at fifteen and sixteen they finished two shots up on Rathmore’s Chris Dunbar and Charlene Reid, again off a two handicap.

Their gross 90 was a steady round but included a series of four bogies to finish. Countback had to be employed to separate them from another Rathmore man, Ben Best, who was teamed with Jude Rodgers.

A birdie three at the eighth helped on the front nine but the finishing holes hit them with a bang as an eight at unlucky thirteen was followed by a nine an eight and a seven to end. Not a finish you want when countback is needed!

The top net prize was claimed by Mr G Rodgers and Carole Rodgers with 75. Quite a steady round was blighted by sixes at the third and seventh and a serious eight at the ninth but, in this difficult format, all was not lost and they finished three clear of Michael Taylor and Ms M Taylor.

A nasty nine at the seventh and seven at the sixteenth proved costly. Trevor Moore and Noreen Allen were one shot back on 79.

Their two sevens and an eight on the way out did not put them off as they came back with a strong 45 gross on the back nine and clinched third place.