Galgorm Castle News

Wilson's of Rathkenny - 19th Hole Trophy

- Posted on: 24/04/2023 - $itemValue.title

Image credit: Kevin Markham

Wilson's of Rathkenny sponsored the 19th. Hole Trophy played at Galgorm Castle Golf Club. There was a close finish to Division 2 and an even closer finish to Division 4.

Division 1

After the Front 9 Paul McBurney playing off nine was leading comfortably 5 Up. Daniel Reilly (4) was level par and John Rainey (7) was 3 Down. Through The Maple McBurney was 6 Up with Reilly 2 Up after pars at Piat and The Maple. Rainey had also improved and was only 1 Down with a birdie at Piat and a par at The Maple. Up the Grove McBurney was 5 Up after losing out at the Grove with a double bogey. Reilly was improving and after a birdie at the Grove was 3 Up. Rainey went level par after a birdie at Beechers and continued to improve with a par at the Grove to go 1 Up. McBurney birdied the Lowlands and bogeyed the last hole to finish 6 Up and win Division 1. Daniel Reilly with a bogey, par finish came in 2 Up and was joined by Rainey with 2 pars at 2 Up. Second place went to Rainey with a better back nine and Reilly finished third.

Malachy Wylie (3) won the Gross 1 Down Gross.

Division 2

At halfway Michael Greer (12) was leading 3 Up with Peter McMullan (10) level par. Malachy Bellew (10) was close up 1 Down. Approaching the Devils Elbow Greer, after a birdie at The Fort and a par at The Maple was 5 Up, followed by McMullan with three pars and a birdie at twelve to go 3 Up. Bellew was still four holes behind Greer. Up the Grove Greer dropped to 4 Up after a bogey, double bogey, par. McMullan 3 Up was joined by Bellew (birdie and two pars) and had clised to within one hole of the leader. In a very exciting finish Greer (bogey, par) and McMullan (par, birdie) came in together 5 Up with first place going to McMullan with a better back nine. Bellew came third after a bogey, par finish (4 Up).

Division 3

Coming to The Fort, Neill Fitzsimmons (16) (3Up) was leading from Adrian Adams (14) and Eoghan Daly (18) by two holes. Through The Maple there was a threeway tie with Fitzsimmons , Adams and Daly 2 Up. Fitzsimmons, after a par, bogey, par had taken a two hole lead over Adams (2 Up) and Daly (2 Up) approaching the Lowlands with two holes to play. Fitzsimmons finished double bogey, par for 4 Up to win by two holes from Adams (two bogeys) and Daly (par, double bogey) who finished 2 Up and with a better last six second place went to Adams with Daly in third position with a better last six.

Division 4

What a finish to Division 4 with the first five players finishing together! (The Overall Winner, The Overall Runner-Up and the first three Division places). At halfway Malachy Graham (27) (4 Up) held a one hole advantage over in form John McClintock (22) and David Gracey (22). Tony Dodds (20) and John Bell (31) were 2 Up a further point behind. Gracey hit a purple patch over the next five holes and improved from 3 Up to 8 Up to lead by two holes from Graham (6 Up) (pars at The Fort and the Maple). Dodds and McClintock were close up a hole behind at 5 Up with Bell a further three holes behind. With two holes to play Dodds had improved to 7 Up with a bogey and a par and joined Gracey who dropped to 7 Up after a double bogey at Beechers. They were followed by McClintock, Graham and Bell at 6 Up. 5 Up and 4 Up respectively. In a very exciting finish all five players came in 6 Up and The Overall Winner was Dodds with a better last six. Bell continued his improvement to finish the Overall Runner-Up with a better back nine. John McClintock won the Division with a better last six. Second place went to Gracy with a better back nine and in third place came Graham.

Peter Alexander (21) won the Seniors (5 Up).