Visitor is king on Gerry Carson day

Visitor is king on Gerry Carson day

11 April 2012

MASSERENE visitor Francis Stewart produced a great score of 42 points to pick up the Gerry Carson Memorial Open at Downpatrick Golf Club on Easter Monday.

The annual curtain-raiser to the golfing season is fast becoming a hugely popular event and 238 competitors took to the county town’s blustery fairways, but it was the visitor from Antrim who flourished in the tough conditions.

Stewart’s remarkable smash-and-grab raid can be largely attributed to his majestic form with the driver. He found the fairway on countless occasions on his way to a brilliant 23 points at the turn.

The back nine was to be more challenging as Stewart battled against the April showers but he held his nerve superbly to find his second birdie of the day at the 17th and that proved to be enough to separate his winning score from a host of those on 41 points.

Chris Murphy was eventually the best of the rest after he recovered from an horrendous lie in the rough at the back of the 13th, where he failed to score, to finish in spectacular fashion with birdies at both the 17th and 18th, holing out from 10 feet at the last to claim the runner-up spot.

Jimmy Dinsdale has become a regular prize-winner and the eight handicapper was again wonderfully consistent on his way to 41 points, with birdies coming at the second and 10th to finish in third place.

John O’Grady had one hand on the top prize until he found the trees at the penultimate hole. A four at the last left the Galway man in fourth spot.

Barry Reynolds, who recently joined the club, got amongst the prizes in fifth place as he too recorded 41 points. Dale Baker won the gross award with a 69 and Damien Carson was the top guest with 36 points ahead of Canon Sean Rogan.

Leo Rooney was the best of the seniors with 39 points and Ann Savage was the top lady with 20 points ahead of Colette Fitzsimons.