Amidst a spell of unsettled and occasionally unpleasant weather, Paddy Meehan somehow found a pair of good days to host President’s Day last Friday and Saturday. This was the last ‘major’ of the year and, together with the Malcolm Trophy and Captain’s Day, it brought to over 750 the number of competitors in our trio of big days.
Peader McConville took the main prize of the day by a margin of 2pts with 42pts off 18. Birdies at 8 and 10 had helped him move to 7 under his handicap after 10 holes, but NRs at 11 and 13 suggested he may suffer a ‘collywobbly’ finish. There was no such outcome however and he will forever be able to boast to his friends of his first major.
Michael Moore took the runners-up prize with 40pts off 15, his 22 homeward pts giving him the edge over Colin Robb, 15.
Young Jack McKerr also had 40pts, off 6, and took the Intermediate Prize after a round of 72. Jack is the son of accomplished golfer Nigel, so it is little surprise to see him making his mark at an early age.
The only player to break par over the course of the two days was Nathan McCann and he took the gross prize with 37 gross pts. 4 bogeys were countered by birdies at 8, 10 and 18, and an eagle at 15, for a 1 under par total of 69.
Andrew Cummins took the second gross prize with 36 gross pts. He will regret a triple bogey at 13, his first triple in 330 holes.
Honorary Treasurer Warren McCleary took the low section with 39pts, a closing birdie giving him the edge over Andrew Cummins, 3, Olcan Kearney, 4, and Andrew Cooper, 9, on the back 9.
The middle section went to Seamus Higgins with 39pts off 15, with Barrai McConville, 16, taking the runners-up spot on the back 9 with 37pts. An unlucky trio of Peter McCusker, 16, John McCool, 14, and Mark McCann, 13, also had 37pts but went home empty handed.
Two players had 37pts in the high section to battle it out for the honours with Clive Johnston, 22, claiming top spot from Rory Jordan, 24, on the back 9.
Conall Coleman claimed the prize for Nearest the Pin when his tee shot at 17 came to rest just 27 inches from the hole.
Shot of the Competition came at 12 where Gerard Nelson’s tee shot found the cup for his first hole in one. Good news for Gerard with a hole in one on one of the biggest days of the year, but the 49 players who had a 2 won’t be planning their retirement on their expected returns.