MICHAEL MURPHY HAS kicked plenty of points in the colours of Donegal and his club Glenswilly.
On Sunday, the Donegal skipper – who plays off 14 – reached another career milestone for, having been practicing under the tutorial of club PGA Professional Seamus Mc Monagle, Michael recorded his first golf competition win at his home club with a significant 45 points.
[adrotate group=”73″]Taking the turn at just two over gross and 23 points on front nine, Michael’s birdie at 12th [Sheep Hill] was somewhat diminished by his double bogey at 17th but his gross return of five shots over par belied his cat 2 handicap and added his name to the club teams lists for 2017.
In runner-up spot was last season’s forerunner for golfer of the year, Conor Mc Gettigan [9] who had chopped five shots off his handicap in two months before end of 2015 season. Again being only two over gross on front nine and three over on back nine, Conor’s birdie at 14th and a four under nett score of 40pts stands him in good stead for open week.
With up to one hundred entrants for the mid-week competition, it proves what a very popular sponsor we have in McDonalds Restaurant & Take-Away [Victor Byrne] Letterkenny, and ‘eating’ up the course on Wednesday 1st June was new member Barry Whyte [13]
[adrotate group=”66″]Having started with birdie at Hall Door [1st] and covering the outward nine in one over par 24pts, Barry serviced his appetite for the win with another birdie at 11th [Settlement] with his only blemish being a double bogey at Aughaninshin [17th] for a very creditable 42pt return.
In runner-up spot was former club captain Tom Mc Donagh [21] who, despite a double bogey at Sliabh Sneacht [4th], retrieved a little with a birdie at par three 8th [Greenhill] for a front nine of 23pts. and, playing solid, handicap golf on back nine, returned 40pts to pip third placed Karol Harvey [17] by one point.
With a difficult front nine of ‘blanks’ recorded at Inishowen [5th] and 8th, Karol’s birdies at Crievesmith [9th] and Stackyard [14th] gave him 20pts on back nine and 39pts overall. In fourth place was the evergreen Kenny King [9] whose ‘annoying’ start of ‘blank’ at 4th, birdie at 5th and double bogey at 6th would have scrapped many a card but Kenny’s fighting spirit gave him a birdie at Sheep Hill [12th], 22pts on back nine and 37pt total.
Prizewinners Tommy Daly [left]and Lee Walsh [second right]pictured with sponsor Cathal Sheridan, C&A Embroidery, Letterkenny Golf Club vice-captain Colin Morrow and competitions secretary PJ Nee.
Gross was collected by the mercurial Con Boyce [5] whose eagle at Glebe [2nd] and birdie at Settlement [11th] left him just one over par on each nine and 34 gross points. Visitor’s prize went to Eugene Gallagher [16] with 37pts.
Friday 3rd had the Barnhill club hosting the now annual charity classic in aid of Raphoe Community Playgroup and Dromore Primary School and taking centre stage was the team of Joe Coyle [6], Pauric Dunleavy [11], Eddie Margey [11] and Tony Mc Namee snr [24].
With the help of Eddie’s birdies at 8th and 18th [Stockade], and Tony’s birdie at 14th, a great score of 100pts was returned to pip second placed Rory Blaney [15], Shane Blaney [18], Tony Logue [18] and Vincent Bianconi [18] who returned a normal winning score of 98pts.
Rory started the ball rolling with a birdie at 1st while Shane chipped in with his birdie at Candalabra [15th] to demote the team of Eamonn Mc Dermott [5], Peter Muldoon [11], Pat Keating [18] and Eamonn Stevenson [24] to third place on 97pts, despite Peter’s brace of birdies at Inishowen [5th] and 15th.
Recent prizewinners at The Kitchen sponsored Open competition at Letterkenny Golf Club pictured with sponsor Pat and Annette Brady, club vice-captain Colin Morrow and competitions convenor Liam Wiseman.
Saturday 4th was another big day for the club when the St. Eunan’s Alumni Annual Golf outing took place and with the illuminating score of 41pts was regular attendee at prizegivings Kevin Rafferty [7].
With birdies recorded at Glebe [2nd] and Sliabh Sneacht [4th] interrupted by bogey at 3rd [Swilly], Kevin’s outstanding score of one under par gross 23pts on outward nine gave him solid ground for the win and he duly obliged with a nett level par inward nine.
In second place was the ‘master of deception’ Hugo Daly [24] who, despite ‘blanks’ at 5th and 7th holes, cannily played the back nine in bogey golf to record a three under nett par handicap score of 21pts and 40pts overall to pip third placed John G. Doherty [13] on B.O.T., with John’s back nine of 20pts just one point shy.
Saturday’s confined competition [club members only]was won by Shane Blaney [18] with a magnificent, overwhelming score of 47pts!
What a score, you might say, and it could easily have been more but for double bogey’s at 15th and 16th! Despite a ‘blank’ at 4th, Shane’s birdie at The Isle [7th] helped him to 23pts on outward nine while another birdie at 11th helped him record 24pts on inward nine despite those double bogey’s. Well done Shane!
In second spot was Paul Mc Guckin [21] who must have thought that his return of 42pts was good enough for top spot but, with a ‘blank’ at 3rd and birdie at 7th, Paul should feel contented enough.
Monday 6th Open competition, sponsored by J.J. Reid Motors, Letterkenny, saw another large turn-out on a great summeresque day and taking home the main prize as well as the tan was John Coghlan [17] who, despite a double bogey at Greenhill [par three 8th], birdied 11th for 21pts on each nine and, by virtue of a B.O.T., relegated Hugh Mc Clafferty [13] to runner-up spot.
Having recorded a birdie at par five 7th on his way to 23pts on front nine, no doubt it was the back-to-back double bogey’s at 14th and 15th which lost Hugh the win. In third place was the never ending supporter of club competitions Ciaran Clerkin [22] with 41pts and winning the gross category was Eamon Mc Glinchey [6], whose eagle at The Isle [par five 7th]and birdie at 11th helped him to 31 gross points.
Letterkenny Golf Club Open Week tees-off tomorrow, Friday 10th with an 18 hole Singles Stableford sponsored by Specsavers and continues on Saturday with a 4Ball Betterball sponsored by Derryveagh Crystal whilst on Sunday an 18 hole Stroke takes place sponsored by CoLab, LYIT.
Congratulations to the club teams of Ulster Cup and Ulster 4Ball who did themselves proud last week with magnificent victories over Hollywood GC and Mourne GC respectively.
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