David's win concludes successful JTI open week

THE JTI open stableford on July 24 wrapped up a successful Open Week at Ballymena Golf Club.

A total of 215 players drove off the first tee in the final competition of the week, which was won by David Mulholland.

The 14-handicapper returned a total of 42 points - one ahead of the next three prizewinners - despite having two double bogeys in the opening three holes.

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A birdie two at the second, which was wroth four points, was some recompense and after nine holes he had 20 points. Into the second nine with a bogey, double bogey, David settled down and played the next seven holes in level par for a further 22 points.

Second prize went to Michael Rainey with 40 points and by virtue of a better second nine total from Derek McKay and Paddy Kearney.

Eight-handicapper Rainey was three over gross on the outward nine which gave him 19 points but the inward trip was much more like his cards from earlier years as he covered the nine holes in level par gross for an additional 22 points.

McKay, off a 21 handicap allowance, began with three pars plus a bogey on the second but, alas, that was followed with a triple bogey for no points and four more bogeys gave him 20 points out.

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The back nine also contained a triple bogey but he had two shots on handicap and the last six holes were worth 15 points, giving him 21 in total.

Fourth nett was seven-handicapper Kearney, also with a total of 41 but with an inferior second nine.

Opening his round with a birdie three, Paddy was one over gross after eight but that changed big time as he had an eagle three on the ninth, as he notched up 22 points at the turn.

The back nine was sound until he reached the 17th where, having been one over gross, he then shed two shots for no points was proved costly and a par on the last meant that he could only add 19 points to his impressive first nine total.

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Stephen Hayes (11) took fifth place with a total of 40 points and on a better second nine total of 20 from Ken Herbison, who had 18.

Hayes got off to a storming start of two pars followed by two birdies only to be spoiled with three bogeys and a non-event on the ninth but he still had 20 points. The second nine was made up of five pars plus four bogeys for another 20, which pushed Herbison into sixth place.

Ken, off 20, had a very good first nine where he scored 22 points, which included four pars. The second nine was somewhat different, in particular the last four hole where he scored three double bogeys, for one point on each.

The final nett prize went to George Small (10) who posted a total of 39 points, with 22 being scored on the inward nine.

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The first nine contained double bogeys on the fourth and sixth but a birdie on the seventh was a slight bonus which resulted in 17 points for the nine.

That second nine was a transformation as he had six pars plus two bogeys and a birdie on the 13th which gave him that overall total of 39.

The best gross card came from five-handicapper Nigel Getty, who covered the course in level par having been two under on the outward nine and two over on the inward nine. In total he had 12 pars, three birdies and three bogeys, two of them on the last two holes.

MIXED FOURSOMES

The mixed foursomes played on the Thursday resulted in a clear win for Tracey Hughes (36) and partner Adam Brady (4) and they accumulated a grand total of 40 stableford points.

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The partnership really left their mark as the front nine produced 22 points - that for eight holes having had a non-score on the eighth.

The back nine was played to their handicap allowance, producing 18 points which gave them a four point margin over the husband-and-wife partnership of James (14) and Yvonne Fullerton (26).

They had an excellent outward nine of 21 points only to slip up on the inward nine where they managed to add 15 points but to their credit, they scored on all 18 holes.

Third place went to Eric Smyth (12) and Elaine Mark (21) who had an overall total of 35 points which included a none-score on the par four 15th plus double bogeys on the fourth, sixth and 18th.

GENTS’ BETTERBALL

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Friday’s better ball competition resulted in four returns of 48 points with the second nine totals being the deciding factor.

The winning pair were Bobby McLaughlin and partner Brian Craig and their second nine total was 25 points. The card showed that the former scored on 10 of the holes while the latter’s score counted on the other eight holes and they were seven over gross in total.

Second place was taken by Brian Russell (16) and Campbell Wade (14) with the former’s score counting on 10 of the holes and they scored 12 pars, five bogeys plus a birdie on the seventh. They had a strong finish to their round as they played the back nine in two over with Wade registering on six of them.

Johnny Lynn (8) and Gary Black (5) also totalled 48 points with 23 of them coming on the second nine which they played in one under gross.

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They got off to a tremendous start with birdies on the first three holes giving them 10 points and a birdie on the ninth added up to a total of 25 points after nine. In total they scored 10 pars, six birdies and a bogey on the eighth and 17th.

The fourth nett prize was won by Allen Stewart and David Mulholland both playing off 14 but their best nine was the first one which they played in one under gross for 26 points. The back nine produced 22 points mainly the result of a dropped shot on 12, 14, 15 and 16 with a lone birdie on the 18th.

SUNDAY OPEN STABLEFORD

The Sunday open stableford saw Fred Dawson (6) play the course in level par gross for a total of 42 points and not only did he take the top prize, he also had a hole-in-one on the par three seventh.

A first nine of four under par was worth 25 points whereas a second nine of four single bogeys, one double bogey, two pars plus a birdie on the 13th and 17th yielded only 17 points.

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Paul Darragh (8) returned 39 points with 20 on the opening nine. His card was made up of nine pars, seven bogeys plus birdies on the seventh and 13th.

The best gross was won by Adrian Gough (5) with a score of 70 shots and having ben one under after nine, he dropped three shots on the second nine, two of them on the 17th.