North Western Alliance Played on Saturday 4th February 2012 at Portsalon Golf Club
Par 72 s.s.s 72. 55 played.
1ST Nett Garret Mallon (1) North West G.C. 79 B.O.T.
2ND Nett Clive Davison (15) Letterkenny G.C. 79 B.O.T.
3RD Nett Connor McGettigan (13) Portsalon G.C. 79
4TH Nett Michael O’Donnell (13) Letterkenny G.C. 82
5th Nett George McCay (21) Strabane G.C. 84
6TH Kieran Martin (12) Strabane G.C. 87
1st Gross Enda Kennedy (Scr) Rosapenna G.C. 82
2ND Gross Ben Corry (4) Strabane G.C. 87 B.O.T.
3rd John McBride (Scr) Portsalon G.C. 87
4TH John Sweeney (6) Portsalon G.C. 89
5TH Eddie McHugh (11) Strabane G.C. 98
There was no card returned to award a 6th prize.
Garry Duffy had a 2 and will get 4 Golf Balls.
In perusing the results of the North Western Alliance competition played at Portsalon Golf club at the week end you could be forgiven for thinking that the competitors had really more than over indulged themselves over the break that they had over the Christmas period or even that they were still imbibing.
Alas, nothing could be further from the truth. It was just an awful day to be out doors never mind playing Golf. When you consider that there were downpours of Biblical Proportions interspersed with sunny interludes and that the wind was blowing across the course from the sea and frequent hail showers for good measure. Then you are beginning to get some appreciation of the conditions that the 55 competitors set out in .There were only 11 cards returned .In the long history of the Alliance this was the single worst result a nett 79 and Gross 82 taking the top prizes .As only 11 completed cards were in returned the 6th Gross could not be awarded.
The course itself was in excellent condition .Players were appreciative of the changes that the Club in consultation with Paul McGinley are making to “the Banks”.
Great credit is given to Johnny Shields the Course Superintendent who is demonstrating that he has the skill and expertise to lead his team of Greenkeepers to translate Paul’s vision from a dream to reality.
In looking at the cards little positive can be taken from them given the conditions. Garret Mallon was 5 over after 9 pursued by Enda Kennedy 6 over. John G. McBride was third at this stage on 7 over but his race was run when double bogies at the 15th and 16th while the hail stones made their presence felt undid his best efforts.
It was a two horse race between Garret and Enda after 14. After the 10th they were level as Enda pared the par 3 10th to Garrets bogey. A hole later they were level again. They stayed like that until the par 3 15th when Enda again fell into arrears by the 16th they were level again but it was over the last two holes that Garret went away from him a birdie at the par 5 17TH and a par at the 18TH was too good for Edna’s par on 17 and bogey at the 18th.
When one considers that an inter Club matchplay competition on a local course had to be abandoned one can gauge the effect of the dreadful conditions.
In the Golfer of the season Enda Kennedy with only two further counting events to come is on 54, his nearest pursuer is Sean Quigg, City of Derry G.C. On 31 and with 10 points available in each event means that Enda has won this title .Enda last year was runner up in the Nett award.
The Nett the position is not so clear cut. Odran McGettigan, Strabane G.C. Is on 33 and there are two opponents on 26, Michael O’Donnell from, Letterkenny G.C. and James Callan from Ballycastle G.C.Clive Davison, Letterkenny G.C. is on 23 while Eddie McHugh formerly Letterkenny G.C. and now playing out of Strabane G.C.retains an interest on 18 .Delwyn Montgomery of Strabane G.C. also has a mathematical chance of winning this prestigious title.
The next competition is on 18th February in Rosapenna G.C. on 18th February 2012.
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