Richard comes up smelling of roses with victory at Galgorm Castle

Richard McNeill (24), Leonard Craig (12) and Tony Carroll (12) were one point behind McCarley in the competition, played at Galgorm Castle Golf Club.

Through the Maple the leadership had changed with McNeill with the help of a birdie at the Fort three points ahead of McCarley and Carroll. Foster (‘ding’ at twelve) and Craig were another two points behind.

With two holes to play McNeill was still in the lead by two points from McCarley and Foster (three pars). Craig was another point behind with Carroll a further two points behind. McNeill whose lead was diminishing came home bogey, double bogey to win Overall by one point from McCarley (double bogey, birdie) and Foster (two pars) who finished together.

McCarley with a better back nine finished Overall Runner-Up and Foster took Division 2 three points clear of Craig (two bogeys) in second place. In Division 1 after the front nine Mark Hamilton (8) was leading Paul Houston (5), David Stirling jnr (5), Michael Dallat (1) and Ryan Addley (8) by one, two three and four points respectively. Hamilton after a ‘ding’ at the Maple fell two points behind new leaders Houston and Stirling jnr.

Through the Maple and was joined by Addley. Dallat was a point behind the leading duo at this stage. Up the Grove Dallat regained the lead by one point over Stirling jnr. With Houston, Hamilton and Addley another point behind. In a close finish Stirling jnr (two pars) joined M.Dallat (bogey, birdie) but with a better back nine Dallat helt on to win with Stirling jnr second. Houston (bogey, par),

Entering the back nine in Division 3 Tony Quinn (19) had a commanding three point lead from Aidan Donnelly (16) followed by Ronnie Taylor (16) and Alan Knox (17) a further one and two points respectively behind. Quinn and Taylor both lost ground after failing to score at the Maple as Knox moved into a one point lead from Quinn and Donnelly.

Approaching the seventeenth tee Knox with the help of two pars had increased his lead to three points over Donnelly and an improving Taylor. A further point down came Quinn. Knox finished bogey, par to win by three points from Taylor (bogey, par). Donnelly (double bogey, bogey) and Quinn (double bogey, par) finished together and with a better back nine third place went to Donnelly.

In Division 4 at the turn Seamus Laverty (21) and William McKigney (23) were vying for the lead two points ahead of Barry Mott (25). Through thirteen Laverty had moved into a one point advantage over McKigney. After the Grove Laverty was two points clear of McKigney who was still five points ahead of Mott. Laverty ran into bogey trouble and finished with two double bogeys but held on to win by one point from McKigney who finished with a ‘ding’ and a par. Mott finished strongly (bogey, birdie) in third place a point behind McKigney.

Gross winner was Patrick Dallat (1) and the Seniors prize went to Reginald Marks (21).