Martin claims Winter League win at Galgorm

Stephen Black, Norman Nicholl and Joel McNeeley getting ready to tee off at Galgorm Golf Club. INBT49-246AC

After four holes in Division 1 David Martin (5) was a point ahead of Gary Jackson (4) and Stephen Mailey (5) with Norman Reid (5) a further point behind.

Martin extended his advantage to two points over Jackson over the closing two holes – each player finishing with two pars – Mailey finished two points further behind with two pars and was joined by Reid (par, birdie) and with a better last six Reid took third place.

In Division 2 Adrian Atkinson playing of a reduced handicap of six moved into a two point advantage through the Niuc from Trevor Todd (8) and Trevor Dawson (7). Close on their heels, a point behind came Neil Fitzsimmons (7), Rod Lennox (6) and Michael McAuley (6).

In a very close finish Atkinson (two bogeys) and Todd (two bogeys) finished together and Todd won with a better last three. Third place went to Fitzsimmons with a better last three.

Approaching Walkers Home in Division 3 Malachy Kyne (8) held a one point advantage over Alan Knox (8), Terence Martin (9) and Keith Dinsmore (8). Clifford Irvine (8) was a further point behind.

There was another close finish in this Division with the five players all involved. Kyne finished with two bogeys and Knox with a par, bogey finish levelled with Kyne and with a better last six Knox took first place ahead of Kyne. There was an even closer finish for third place with Martin (two bogeys), Dinsmore (double bogey, par) and Irvine (par, bogey) all equal. Martin claimed third place with a better last three.

Division 4 saw Ian Henry (10), Andrew McKibben (10) and Ronan Speers (11) vying for the lead through The Niuc with Kevin Agnew (11) two points adrift.

Any ideas of a close finish disappeared when Henry with a birdie came home to win by two points from Agnew (bogey) and McKibben (bogey). Second place went to Agnew with a better last six leaving McKibben in third. Steven Penney won the gross prize.

Twos were recorded by: S Mailey (x2), D Martin (x2), D Bamford, M Dunlop, M Hamilton, G Jackson, L Reilly jnr, T McNeill, N Fitzsimmons and J Carruthers.

BACK NINE

Through 13 Wilson McVeigh (3) was leading by one point from Cyril Reid (13), Ivan Alexander (8) and Stephen Logan (3). McVeigh, Alexander and Logan finished together but they were unable to prevent Reid (double bogey, par) from winning by one point.