Busy Open Week at Raceview

This competition has been kindly sponsored by David's ex-employers Smallcost Carpets over the past number of years and they continue to be associated with the competition.

This year's winner was Frank O'Boyle who, off a 13-handicap, returned a total of 42 stableford points.

A superb opening nine of one over gross - which converted into 23 points - was added to on the closing nine with another 19 points.

Frank had eight pars and a lone bogey at the fifth on the way out but when he crossed onto the homeward trip, he had four bogeys in a row, followed by a trio of pars and he completed his round with two more bogeys.

Second nett was won by Neal Courtney (11) with a total of 40 points, which included a no-score at the ninth.

Neal's front nine was made up of four pars, three bogeys and a birdie on the fourth plus that non-event at the ninth.

Into the back nine with a par, he then went bogey, double bogey but he settled into a run of level par over the final six holes for an additional 21 points which took him ahead of three more 40 point returns.

Gordon Bell (12) went into third place by virtue of a better second nine from Lawrence Kerr and Ferguson McKelvey.

Bell dropped two shots on the first three holes but then parred the next three only to have no score on the short seventh, followed by another bogey plus a par, giving him 19 points after nine. The second nine was much better with four pars, four bogeys and a birdie on the 13th giving him 21 on the way in.

Kerr had equal nines of 20 points which included a double bogey on the sixth and a non-event at 12 but a birdie three on the 15th was worth four points.

The 18th proved vital as he chipped and single-putted for a single point having been in the bunker plus trees but that point was enough to pip McKelvey on the back nine total.

Ferguson, off 11, had seven pars plus a dropped shot apiece on the second and eighth for a total of 21 points out, but the inward nine didn't start so well as he dropped five shots over the first four holes. However, he redeemed himself with five pars for an additional 19 points.

The final nett prize was won by David Crockard (14) with a total of 38 points, 20 of them on the homeward nine.

Playing to his handicap of seven over on the first nine, David improved over the second nine where he had five pars, only for the setback of a double concession on the 12th. The final six holes accounted for four pars plus two bogeys.

The best gross score came from Steven Smyth who, playing off a three handicap, saw those three shots gone after four holes. To his credit, he was still three over after nine and a superb second nine saw him register nine straight pars.

JTI STABLEFORD

The Sunday open stableford, which saw the beginning of the week’s competitions sponsored by Japan Tobacco International.

Having just missed the outright win the previous day, Neal Courtney went one better to win by one point.

The 11-handicapper commenced his round with six straight pars and completed the outward nine with bogey, par, bogey for a total of 21 points.

The tougher inward nine began with four pars then bogey, double bogey, bogey and the round was completed with two more par for 20 more points.

One point behind came S Campbell who did not get off to the desired start, dropping a shot on each of the opening four holes but he played the rest of the front nine in level par, giving him 19 points.

Campbell entered the second nine with two more dropped shots but once again finished strongly, playing the final seven holes in one over for 21 points.

Ryan Bell took third nett, also with 40 points, but the 11-handicapper will regret a costly no-score at the last.

The final nett prize was won by Fergie McKelvey who has been in top form this season, as his 10 handicap shows.

Like Neal Courtney, Fergie appeared on the prize list for the second successive day, even despite losing a shot on handicap.

Starting his round with three pars, he then had five single bogeys for 18 points. Into the back nine with a birdie two for four points, he then shed three shots over the next four holes but finished with a flourish, parring the last four holes, for an additional 21 points.

The best gross card came from four handicapper Philip Moore who played the course in level par but he will probably reflect on an indifferent second nine, where he dropped three shots.

The front nine was a dream as he had four pars, birdies on the first, third, fifth and seventh, with a dropped shot on the par four sixth to be out in three under. That second nine was made up of six pars with single bogeys on the 10th, 11th and 17th.

The ladies’ winner was J Eagleson who has 34 points despite non-scores on the eighth and ninth. Having scored 16 points on the way out, she had a lean spell on the first four holes on the second nine but to her credit, she finished strongly with 11 points from the last four holes for a total of 18 for the nine holes.

OPEN SENIORS

Monday’s open seniors (50+) stableford was won by Jim Munn (15) who posted 40 points and his last three hole score of nine points was enough to push David R Graham into the runner-up spot.

Munn was seven over after nine but a much better second nine did the business and three pars to finish were rewarding.

Graham started his round with two double bogeys and two single bogeys but he improved over the next five holes to register 18 points for the opening nine holes. The second nine was a series of seven fours plus a five on the 11th and 17th for 22 points and 40 in total.

WEDNESDAY STABLEFORD

The men’s competition on Wednesday was the JTI open stableford and a visitor from neighbouring Galgorm Castle topped the prize list.

Ten-handicapper Paul McBurney posted a grand total of 40 points and a second nine total of 22 meant David Smyth had to settle for second place.

The only real blip on the outward nine of five over came on the par four sixth where he dropped two shots. The 18 opening nine hole points were added to with six pars, bogeys on the 10th and 17th plus a birdie two on the 188-metre 16th.

Five-handicapper David Smith toured the course in one over gross for his 40-point return with 19 coming from the front nine which he played in one over gross.

Three dropped shots were partially retrieved with birdies on the eighth and ninth and he continued on the birdie trial at 10 and 11 along with the 13th, only to shed a shot on the 12th, 16th and 17th for 21 on the way home.

Adrian Gough (6) took the third nett prize with a score of 38 points with 17 from the front nine which he played in four over gross.

The back nine was much better in that he was level par with five pars, bogeys on the 14th and 16th, both being retrieved with birdies on the 13th and 15th, the latter worth four points.

The final nett prize was won by Wesley Smyth (15) who returned 38 points having had 20 on the outward nine, where a birdie on the second yielded four points.The inward nine contained six bogeys, one double bogey plus pars on the 16th and 18th for an additional 18 points.

The best gross score was returned by Alex McCloy (-1) who played the 18 holes in two under, 66 shots.

A front nine of six pars plus birdies on the first, seventh and eighth was added to on the back nine with eight pars plus his only dropped shot, on the par three 16th.

The remainder of the open week events will be covered next week.