Two set pace in Harry Harper

In contrast to any of the other competitions, the winner has to play three rounds to become the victor.

The first two rounds are essentially qualifying, as the leading 20 players, plus those tying with the 20th score, qualify for the third round of stroke play.

The opening 18 holes have resulted in Harry McGarry (16) and Paddy Kearney (6) setting the pace but the next 19 places are separated by a mere four shots, so a vital second nine lies in store.

McGarry got off to a blistering start where he bogeyed the opening two holes but then he added five straight pars and a dropped shot on the eighth was followed by a par at the next hole.

The first five holes on the second nine resulted in three bogeys plus two pars and the final four holes accounted for five dropped shots with two shots going on both the 15th and 17th.

A par on the final hole could yet prove crucial at the conclusion of the event, but so too could those double bogeys.

Kearney had a cracking opening nine holes where he had five birdies but, alas, he also had bogeys on the second, third and sixth, but remained two under going to the 10th tee.

A run of six pars in the first seven holes had Paddy heading for a nett score in the fifties but as can happen, he dropped a shot on each of the last two holes.

Third nett was Trevor Hamill (10) with the best of the nett 64s, having had a better second nine hole score from Eric Smyth.

Hamill, having dropped two shots on the first hole, still managed to get through the front nine to his handicap. The second nine saw Trevor drop a shot on the 11th, 16th and 17th but against that, he had birdies at the 13th and 18th for a one over gross inward nine.

Smyth (11) could not have wished for a better start to his round as he was one under after four holes. The fifth was a setback as he dropped three shots, followed by another shot shed on the sixth but he then birdied the seventh and parred the next two to be two over going into the second nine.

The 10th was parred but the next six holes were all single bogeys and he finished birdie, par for a nett 64.

MIchael Scroggie (8) and David Smith took the next two places with the best of four nett 65s., with Scroggie scoring two very different nines. Having been five over on the first nine, he then played the second nine in level par.

That first nine saw Michael bogey the first five holes and then par the next four, whereas the second none was made up of five pars, two bogeys plus birdies on the 14th and 18th.

Smith (5) was three over gross after the opening nine but his closing nine resulted in six pars, a bogey on the 17th and birdie on the 13th and 15th for an overall gross of 70 and a nett score of 65.

This took him ahead of the other 65s returned by Thompson Eccles and WAH Montgomery and only two shots in arrears of the leaders.

The best gross on the day came from three-handicapper Adam Brady who toured the course in one under 67, giving him a nett score of 64.

Having played the opening five holes in level par, Adam got to work over the next four holes where he birdied the sixth, seventh and ninth to be out in three under gross.

The back nine resulted in seven pars plus a dropped shot apiece on the 11th and 16th, giving him a nett score of 64, one shot in arrears of McGarry and Kearney.

HANNAWAY IN RUNAWAY

The open stableford on the Wednesday resulted in a runaway win for Brian Hannaway (11) and his third victory in a very short period of time.

Having lost a shot on each of his last two wins, he must surely be on the receiving end of the guillotine once again.

Going to the second tee, a prize seemed a distant dream as he had a non-event at the first hole.

From there, however, he had seven fours plus a par five on the third which gave him 18 points out but all the fireworks came on the inward journey.

The first three holes on the back nine were pars but he then went birdie, bogey, par, birdie, par, birdie for an amazing 26 points and an overall total of 44.

Runner-up was John Lorimer (10) with a total of 39 points, of which 22 came from the first nine, which he played in one over gross.

The second nine was made up of four pars, four bogeys plus a double bogey on the 12th, for 17 points.

Third nett was Derek Francey (14) with a total of 38 points, of which 23 came on the first nine and the back nine contained a non-score.

The best gross prize was won by Jordan Lemon (5) with a score of 72 shots, with each nine costing him two shots and the two on the front nine both went at the fifth.