Sunday’s Foyle Hospice Team Event, one of the biggest attractions of the season, produced one of the closest finishes in years.  Three teams tied for the top spot, and after a lengthy count-back, the result was declared as follows:

1. Oliver Cresswell, Seamus Foley, Francie Conwell, Liam McCool 103 pts

2. Chris McDermott, Liam Patton, Seamus Devenney, Hugh Casey             103 pts

3. James McAllister, Eddie McHugh, John McGaughan, Patsy O’Donnell   103 pts

4. Oliver Doherty, James Doherty, Robert Doherty, Raymond Gallagher     102 pts

Ladies: Lauren Patton, Laura McCay, Angela Houston, Lisa Patton                        98 pts

Thursday’s Club Shop Open was dominated by Damian Carey whose marvellous 43 points gave him a comfortable three points to spare over the field.  Martin Elliott compiled a steady 40 points to take second place with Damien McCrossan in third place with a similar score. Ballybofey’s Bryan Reilly dropped only three shots to par in taking the gross prize with an excellent 72, while Newtownstewart’s John Bimson won the visitors’ prize with 36 points.

Keith Patterson has been a model of consistency through the summer season and his excellence was again rewarded in last Monday’s Open as he produced yet another level par 69 (40 points) to take the top award.  Runner-up was Paul O’Reilly, also with 40 points, with Joe Elliott a point adrift in third place.  The gross award went to Stephen McCay with a round of 74, while Matthew McGowan, playing out of Ballybofey, topped the visitors’ category with 32 points.

Lady President Olive Turner was in outstanding form in last Tuesday’s Foyle Hospice Charity, her winning score of 42 points seeing her home, though with little to spare.  Alison Curry was best in the 0-24 category with 39 points, while the category 25-36 victor, Mary McCrory, pushed the winner all the way coming up short by a single point as she returned 41 points.

The popular Wednesday mixed event, which has proved to be so successful throughout the season, entered its final month of competition last week with victory going to Nigel Houston, Lisa Patton, Neil McGlinchey and Angela Houston with 40 points.  Three points back in second place were Frankie and Caroline Connolly, Rory Doherty and Lauren Patton.

Congratulation to Tommy Forbes and his Lawson Cup Squad on their hard-fought victory over Dungannon in the final of the competition.  After a tremendous away performance which saw them trailing by a single point, it would have been easy to assume that the trophy was in the bag.  However, as to be expected, Dungannon came to the Ballycolman venue with a very different mind-set.  Far from rolling over, the visitors put up a magnificent struggle and almost pulled off a memorable win.  However, the Strabane team showed admirable composure to ride out the Dungannon storm and edge home to a deserved victory.

Finally, the Competition Committee ask that all matchplay semi-finalists ensure that their ties are played on or before September 17 so that the “Finals Day” can proceed as scheduled.

Fixtures

Thursday September 9            Club Competition

Saturday September 11           Bank of Ireland Open

Sunday September 12             Owen Roe’s Open Team Classic

Monday September 13            Monday Open

Tuesday September 14            Ladies Weekly Event

Wednesday September 15      Mixed

1^st Nigel Houston, Lisa Patton,Neil Mc Glinchey & Angela Houston 40 pts

2^nd Rory Doherty, Lauren Patton, Frankie Connolly & Caroline Connolly 37 pts

9 teams played

Congratulations to Lorna Duffy for getting a Hole in One at the 8th hole.

Sunday’s “Brian Patton Golf Day” attracted an excellent entry of 180.  In conditions which were far from easy, as a stiff breeze swept across the course throughout the day, it was last Monday’s hero, Paul McGarrigle, who again emerged victorious.  Whilst most were predicting a winning score in the high thirties, McGarrigle produced a stunning 42 points take the top prize.  Olive Reid showed tremendous grit in battling through the winds to post 40 points and claim the runner’s-up spot. Third place went to Ben Corry with 37 points with Chris McDermott on a similar mark in fourth. Enda Kennedy took the gross award with 31 points.

Other prizes went to:

First nine         Jim Potts                     22 points

Second nine    Seamus Foley              21 points

Visitor             Bobby O’Shea                        33 points

Ladies                         Mandy Coyne             34 points

Nearest pin      Kieran Doherty           21 inches

Longest Drive (Men)              Damian McGranaghan

Longest Drive (Ladies)           Geraldine Crossan

Lorna Duffy had a hole-in-one at the difficult par three eighth during Sunday’s play.

After a protracted absence from the game, Adrian McGonagle played some of his best golf since his return to post a winning score of 42 points in last Thursday’s TBF McElholm Open.  Young Kevin Gallagher showed much promise in taking second place with 39 points, a score replicated by third placed Joe Elliott.  Enda Kennedy conceded only one shot to par in taking the gross award with a round of 70, while Newtownstewart’s Sean Glackin took the visitors’ prize with 35 points.

Paul McGarrigle claimed his second Monday Open crown of the month by carding 38 points in last week’s event, enough to see him home by two points from runner-up Garrick Wood.  Also on 36 points was third-placed Keith Patterson, while Enda Kennedy amassed 35 points to top the gross category.

There was a close finish to last Wednesday’s mixed greensomes, with Pat McAneny and Theresa Casey just getting up ahead of Ryan McGowan and Teresa Logue.  Both pairings posted rounds of 33 points, one better than the third-placed duo of Freddie Patterson and Caroline Connolly.

The last of the season’s Ladies’ Opens was the prestigious Donna’s Flowerbox competition.  Best performer on the day was Catherine Neeson whose superb 40 point return gave her a two point winning cushion over runner-up, Lady Captain Dympna Doherty.  Third place went to Olive Reid with 37 points, with Lorna Armstrong taking the gross award with 24 points.  Roe Park’s M. O’Kane had the best Category 0-18 score of 35 points, with Mary McCrory heading the 19-28 Category on 36 points.  The 29-36 Category award went to Geraldine McCrory with 35 points.

Other winners were:

First Nine        Annette Patton            20 points

Second Nine   Angela Houston          19 points

Visitor             Rosie Agnew (Redcastle).

Congratulations to Freddie Patterson and his Roberts Cup team on their convincing victory in the final of the competition.  The hard work really was done in the away leg at Killymoon, with the Strabane men only dropping a couple of points.  With that impressive foundation laid, it was no surprise that they quickly racked up the necessary points at home to secure a well-merited success.

Tommy Forbes’ Lawson Cup team would seem to be well on their way to mirroring that success as they produced a battling performance in Dungannon to trail by only a point with the home leg still to come.  No doubt the team captain, though, will be preaching the dangers of complacency before this week’s crucial return leg.

Fixtures

Thursday September 2            Club Shop Stableford

Saturday September 4             Daly’s Service Station Open

Sunday September 5               Foyle Hospice Team Classic Open

Monday September 6              Monday Open

Tuesday September 7              Bertie Colhoun (ladies’)

Wednesday September 8        Mixed

Timesheet in operation – contact club for a time