Wesley wins Walter Young event at Raceview

This was a fine turnout given that the club’s Pasadena society, featuring 32 members, were on their spring weekend outing to Lough Erne.

Top score on the day came from Wesley Smyth who, having commenced his round at 7.30am, posted a score of nett 62 which stood for the remainder of the day.

The 16-handicapper played the front nine in six over par and having dropped two shots on the opening hole, he then scored four pars plus four bogeys.

The back nine opened with a par, only to drop two shots on the 11th but he followed that with three pars plus three bogeys and a vital birdie on the last hole set the target for the day at six under par 62.

Second nett went to Paul Stevenson (6) who returned a nett 64 but he had to contend with four other nett 64s so it all came down to who had the best second nine on countback.

Paul was out in three over which included a double bogey on the fifth but he got his game together on the inward nine which he covered in one under gross.

This came from six pars, a lone dropped shot on the par three 16th and birdies on the 13th and 18th which were invaluable as he had a better second nine from John Marshall (16) who in turn had a better second from Brian Hazlett.

Marshall had five pars on the first nine but against that he double-bogeyed the third and sixth to be out in six over par.

The second nine was steady with the exception of the 15th where he shed two shots, but four pars plus four bogeys were enough to see off the next prizewinners.

Hazlett (19) opened his round with two pars only to drop two shots on the third. This was followed by another two pars plus another double bogey and the ninth green was reached having been six over par.

This left Brian with 13 shots on handicap for the back nine and he used nine of those, yet he still had a better last six from Brian Crawford.

Fifteen handicapper Crawford had a second opening nine of four over and that contained a double bogey on the par five third.

The second nine opened with two pars but he then went double bogey, triple bogey, par, double bogey and birdie on the final hole was rewarding as he had a better second nine nett score from Brian Craig (22).

Brian’s front nine was made up of three pars, five single bogeys plus a double bogey on the opening hole which left him under par on handicap.

The back nine was somewhat different as there were no pars, seven single bogeys plus double bogeys on the 12th and 17th and he lost out big time over that back nine.

When those nett 64s consider they could so easily have been better off with one shot less and the countback was very important to some, especially the higher-placed winners.

The best gross card was returned by Geoff Stewart (4), who played the course in level par 68 shots with a front nine of one over, while the back nine was played in one under par.

Geoff probably created a record of some kind when he birdied the first four par threes, which will pay him well in the par three competition.

He started his round with a sequence of bogey, birdie for the first four holes. He then double-bogeyed the fifth and then completed the front nine par, birdie, par, par.

The second nine was a picture of consistency as he birdied the 10th and then followed that with eight straight pars for a one under second nine and level par overall for the round.

THIS WEEK

The competition down for decision this Saturday, April 14, is the Tom McIlhagga Memorial and there will be an open stableford on Wednesday, April 11 and the Pro Shop Open will take place on Sunday, April 15.

PLAYING TIMES

The ballot for playing times will take place on Friday, April 13, at 8pm in the upstairs lounge.