Eamonn’s day, by George

Eamonn’s day, by George

18 August 2021

AT the traditional ceremony at 6 am last Saturday morning, Ardglass Club president Des Connolly raised the club flag to get his President’s Day competition underway.

The weather proved kind to the early starters, although conditions were less favourable later, and most of the best scores came in the morning.

The day was a triumph for Killough as two men from the nearby village claimed first and second prizes.

Getting 10 shots, the eventual winner, Eamonn George, played the first nine in level par.

His back nine saw birdies at the 15th and 17th and a double bogey at the relatively easy 18th was the only blemish on his round as he finished with a gross 73 and 43 points.

In the runners-up spot was Eugene Sharvin, whose remarkable round saw birdies at all of the par fives and five birdies in all. His gross 75 brought him 42 points and his 24 points score on the back nine gave him second place on a count-back from Paul Brennan and Darren Smyth.

Brennan’s steady round featured nothing worse than a bogey as he played the course in 75 shots and his 42 points took him into third place.

Fourth prize went to Brian Rainey. His 45 points was actually the leading score of the day, but unfortunately Brian was not eligible for the main prizes. Receiving 21 shots, he was out in four-over which saw him turn with 24 points. A strong finish with four pars in the last five holes helped him to a further 21 points for an impressive total of 45.

Darren Smyth was the third player to finish on 42 points and finished in fifth spot.

The Ardglass man reached the turn in one-over, including a birdie at the fifth. An NR at the 14th stalled his progress but two birdies in the last four holes was good enough to get him in the prizes.  

The winner of the gross prize was Julian Swail, who completed a rare double as he also had the best gross on Captain’s Day in July.

The Strangford man birdied the first and the third and a closing birdie at the 18th gave him a round of 72. This was one better than Raymond Madine, who took the second gross prize with a steady round of 73 which contained 14 pars.

Also round in 73 but edged out on count-back was Marty Rourke. However this score brought him 39 points and won him the team captains’ prize. Castlewellan’s Gerry Rowan took the seniors’ prize with an excellent 40 points, while Harry Smyth romped home in the past presidents category. The council prize went to club vice-captain Vincent MacNabb, whose strong back nine helped him finish with 39 points.

The usual nearest the pin prizes went to Christian Hood, Peter Milligan, Roy McEvoy, Gary Doherty and John Hynds, and the longest drive prize for the day was won by Gareth Donnelly.

The recent rainfall has made a big difference to playing conditions and players’ thoughts now turn to next week and the first playing of the McMahon People Solutions Open.