McCappin wins Golden Jubilee Trophy at Galgorm Castle

THE Golden Jubilee Trophy was played for at Galgorm Castle Golf Club under trying conditions with high winds and low temperatures.
Ian Rosborough (President), Reg McDowell, Bill Hawthorne and George Reid about to tee of at Galgorm Castle Golf Club. INBT19-232ACIan Rosborough (President), Reg McDowell, Bill Hawthorne and George Reid about to tee of at Galgorm Castle Golf Club. INBT19-232AC
Ian Rosborough (President), Reg McDowell, Bill Hawthorne and George Reid about to tee of at Galgorm Castle Golf Club. INBT19-232AC

Victory went to Club Captain Ivan McCappin. Playing off 21, Ivan came home three points ahead of the field, a lead which he held over the closing four holes with no one able to close the gap.

After the front nine Ossie Smyth (14) was one point ahead of McCappin and Peter Kennoway (11).

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Kenny Balmer (22), Jordan Millar (12) and Owen Smith (15) were another point behind with Ciaran Corbett (12) a further point down.

Through 13, a new leader emerged. A par at 12 and another on 13 saw Balmer take a two point lead over Smyth who fell back after a ‘ding’ at the Fort and McCappin.

Another point away came Millar, Corbett and Kennoway (‘ding’ at 11) with Smith another two points behind.

Balmer lost his lead after a ‘ding’ at Beechers and McCappin moved three points ahead. With two to play McCappin was holding his three point advantage over Balmer who was joined by Ossie Smyth and Kennoway.

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Corbett and Owen Smith came next a point behind with Millar losing ground after a ‘ding’ at 14.

McCappin finished with two bogeys for Overall victory from Balmer (two bogeys) three points behind as runner-up.

Millar with a bogey, par finish joined Ossie Smyth (two bogeys) and with a better back nine Millar won Division 2 with Smyth in second place.

Kennoway ruined his chance of success when he ‘dinged’ the last and was joined by Corbett (double bogey, par) and Owen Smith (bogey, double bogey) and with a better back nine Corbett finished third.

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There was a very close and exciting finish to Division 1 as four players finished level.

At the turn joint leaders Mark Hamilton (8) and Chris Cooke (10) were one point ahead of Michael Alexander (19) and four points ahead of David Halliday (7).

Alexander moved into a two point lead through 13. A ‘ding’ by Cooke proved costly as he was now two points behind and he was joined by Hamilton. Halliday was another point down.

Alexander still led with two to play but only by one point from Hamilton who was a point ahead of Cooke and Halliday.

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Alexander who had led from thirteen finished with two bogeys and was joined by Cooke (two pars), Hamilton (bogey, par) and Halliday two pars. Halliday with a better back nine took first place and Alexander with a better back nine finished second with Hamilton (better back six) third.

Fergus McKelvey (17) and Brian Sims (17) were one point ahead of Andrew Moore (17) and Raymond Steele (19) after the front nine in Division 3.

After 144, McKelvey was still in front with Moore still one point behind. Two further points away came Steele and Sims.

A ‘ding’ over Beechers cost McKelvey dearly as Moore moved into a two point lead which he held through 16. Steele (par, bogey) and Sims (par, bogey) moved up to join McKelvey.

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Moore came home with two bogeys but held on to win by one point from McKelvey (par, bogey). Steele (par, double bogey) with a better back nine finished third.

In Division 4 going unto the back nine Ian Manson (24) and John Fitzgerald (24) held a slender one point advantage from John McFarland (20) followed by Andrew McKibben (27) and Tony Quinn (20) three and four points respectively further adrift. Nicholl at this stage was another five points behind.

Fitzgerald was leading by two points after 13 from Manson (‘ding’ at 11) and McFarland. McKibben was another five points behind and was joined by an improving Nicholl with the help of two pars.

A ‘ding’ by Quinn at 13 left him another point down. With two holes left to play Manson had taken over to lead by two points from Fitzgerald who ‘dinged’ 15 and McFarland. A run of par, birdie, bogey moved Quinn up to two further points behind.

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McKibben (‘ding’ on 16) and Nicholl were another one and two points respectively further behind. Manson hit bogey trouble on the last two holes and failed to score. McFarland ‘dinged’ 17 and parred the last to win by one point from Manson,

Fitzgerald (double bogey, ‘ding’), McKibben (two bogeys), Quinn (double bogey, par) and Nicholl (par, bogey) who all finished together. Nicholl with a better back nine came second with Quinn (better back nine) third.

Michael Reid (-1) won the Gross and Bernie Frayne (20) the Seniors.

BELFAST & DISTRICT CUP

Galgorm Castle entertained Bangor in the home leg of the above cup and were victorious by 6 matches to 1, giving them a good chance of progressing to the next round.

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In the opening match Jordan Hood found himself 2 down after eight but pulled one hole back through 13 before going on to win one up.

Michael Reid was I up after eight and he then hit a purple patch and won three of the next five holes to go 4 up, finally winning 3 and 2.

Philip Graham after a slow start was 2 down through five but pulled one back to be one down after eight. Thereafter the match continued to be a close affair and Graham pulled another hole back to level the score with five to play. Graham won two of the next four holes to win 2 and 1.

Alan Goodrich and his opponent played a very close match which level through 13 and eventually finished level for a half each.

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Next out was Colin Steele who took an early lead and was 1 up after five. However he lost his lead and the match was level through eight. Steele won three of the next five holes to go 3 up finally winning 4 and 3.

Stephen McAuley found himself trailing for most of his match and was 2 down with five to play but in a fighting finish he won three of the remaining holes to win 1 up.

The last match out saw Paul Houston start slowly to go one behind through five and two down through eight.

The score remained the same after 13 but Houston fought back over the closing holes for a half to leave the score Galgorm Castle 6 Bangor 1.