Paul returns best score of the week

Showers and wind greeted the golfers at times but they made light of these conditions to shoot some very respectable scores.

Around 200 golfers took part in this final week and around 23 per cent managed under par scores for the regulation 12 holes.

Paul Rippon had the outstanding score of the week-long competition and he duly won the overall prize on the day.

This 16 handicapper took the honours with a well fashioned effort of 32 points.

Paul made few mistakes over the 18 holes and was well worthy of the main prize. A birdie at the fourth and pars at holes two, six, eight and nine were his memorable returns over the opening nine holes.

On the final three holes of play he had two more pars and a bogey on the eleventh. This eight under par effort brought him safely home.

In the low section 18 golfers had returns of 25 points or better for the regulatory holes.

A great score of 31 points provided Jim McKee with the principal prize in the section. This seven handicapper had a marvellous run of ten pars and two birdies. Holes four and eight yielded the all important birdies. Not surprisingly he taxied into first place.

Courtesy of a better back nine Sean Toman was runner-up in the section.

This five handicapper registered a total of 30 points for the round. He had a range of scores from an eagle at the fourth to bogeys on holes seven and eleven. Birdies at holes five, eight and ten were other keys to his success. Pars over the remaining holes guided safely to the winning enclosure.

The third and last net prize in the section was won by Ben McKnight. This nine handicapper also managed an influential 30 points.

Ben had six pars through the opening nine holes. He birdied holes four and eight but had a six at the sixth. On the run in he birdied holes ten and eighteen and salvaged a par on the eleventh.

With a tally of 25 gross points Francie Tallon won his second gross award of the week.

This one handicapper was well to the fore with birdies on holes four, eight and eighteen. In between he fell foul of bogeys on holes five and eleven. Pars on the remaining holes eased into another winning position.

The other key scorers in the section were:

29 pts: William Russell.

27 pts: Sean Scullion, Anthony Gallery.

26 pts: Francis Tallon, Gary Clarke, Garfield Harrison, Ian McMurray, Paul Mulgrew, Paul Dickson, Nigel McKerr.

25 pts: John O’Neill, Lawrence Mitchell, Kieran Magee, Dan McCool, Dwaine Hanna.