Prior perfect on big day

Prior perfect on big day

6 July 2016

JIM Prior rolled back the years to lift Gerry Killen’s Captain’s Day at St. Patrick’s Golf Club on Saturday.

Prior followed last year’s winner and fellow local football icon, Andy McMenemin, into the list of Captain’s Day champions when he carded a brilliant 40 points over a very testing course set-up.

Prior who was player manager of Downpatrick Rec when they enjoyed an incredibly successful period, including a famous Steel & Sons Cup victory in 1977, provided a very timely reminder of his sporting prowess on the most prestigious of golfing occasions for a momentous major win.

With the pins placed in some of the most perilous of positions, Prior can thank course record holder Conor Deegan for a recent putting lesson as he showed no fear on the slick greens, holing out from three to four feet countless times during his almost faultless round.

Indeed, with a blustery wind adding to the challenging conditions and the threat of showers never too far away, Prior’s composure was most notable at the sixth where he got up and down for par.

He again showed a touch of genius at the eighth, where, having pulled his approach to the left of the green and faced with an almost impossible shot, he nonchalantly ran his pitch up to two feet to secure a near miraculous par save.

However, that wasn’t the end of the magic as the 18 handicapper hit a drive and three wood into the wind at the long 14th, leaving another ominous pitch over the front bunker. Undeterred by the degree of difficulty he faced, he amazingly chipped in for a title clinching birdie three.

Ewan McCartney is a rising star in the game and he followed up on his major successes of 2015, having recorded victories in the Gerry Carson Memorial and Burke Systems and Solutions Open, with second place on Saturday.

The former junior boys’ captain also had 40 points and was only denied victory when a misjudged eight iron to the last sailed out of bounds.

Up to that point, he had proved his class with a wonderful display of par golf, his only other error coming at the innocuous sixth where he had a double bogey six, but the young student recovered from that mistake with a remarkable touch around the greens.

Malachy Laird returned from a lengthy break to claim third spot as he too finished with 40 points. The winner of this year’s Fred Daly Memorial seemed set to challenge for the title when he birdied the 16th but he was denied that opportunity when he finished with two bogeys. Even so, another strong show from Laird signals his quality in the big events.

Anthony Carson demonstrated a return to form with a fourth place finish thanks to a fine 39 points and former winner Jack McConvey was the top senior golfer with 36 points.

Conor Deegan not only served up the winner with his advice on putting, he also claimed a further gross prize to add to his growing collection when he returned with a 69.

Paddy Totton collected his third prize of the week. Having narrowly lost out to last year’s captain Brendan Mullen, in the guests’ competition and teaming up with Twyla Gibson to win the mixed greensomes on Friday, he also won Saturday’s past captains’ prize.

Paul McCrissican lifting the council members’ award and Josh Kearney and Charlie Hutton were the top two junior golfers.

Anne Teggart was the leading lady during Thursday’s competition for the ladies. Sharon Heaney finished second, two shots back with 38 points, with Henrietta Beswick was third.

Anthony Savage and Alison Rooney were the runners-up in the mixed event on Friday evening.