It was a tough day for the 260 golfers who took part in Ardglass Golf Club Captain’s Day.
From the crack of dawn Club Captain Terry Murphy was on the course with his trusty team ensuring the course was in top top condition.
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The prize winners at Ardglass Golf Club Captain’s Day with Club Captain Terry Murphy and his wife Geraldine (Photos by Jim Masson).[/caption]
The earlybirds got the worst of the weather at 6am, but by early morning the rain died away to give a relatively bright and dry day for most of the players. However, with the tees set well back and a strong wind blowing, conditions were far from easy, especially on the opening holes.
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Top prize winner on Captain’s Day in Ardglass Golf Club was Seamus O’Hare who had 39 points. Pictured is Club Captain Terry Murphy and his wife Geraldine.[/caption]
Emerging from the pack to take the lead and the ultimate winner with a well earned 39 points was 7-handicapper from Loughinisland, Seamus O’Hare.
Conditions kept all the scores well down for throughout the day and any score better than 36 points was in the running. A testament to the difficulty of the conditions was the fact that the majority of the top prizewinners were single-figure golfers.
O’Hare made a remarkable eight pars in his opening nine holes to be out in one-over. A few slip-ups on the inward nine were offset by a birdie at the 15th for a superb round of 14 pars and a finishing gross score of 74.
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Aidan Walsh, gerard Shields, Kevin Carville and George Maxwell with Terry Murphy, Ardglass Golf Clib Captain.[/caption]
Speaking just after the presentation, O’Hare who is a well rounded sportsman with a black belt in Wado Ryu karete and a player on the Loughinisland GAC team is certainly as fit as a butcher’s dog. The 27-year old  winner said: “I’ve been a member of Ardglass Golf Club for 15 years now and I really enjoy a game of golf. I try and play at least twice a week, but recently I’ve been so busy that I have only played two games in the past five weeks.
“I’m a fairly big hitter of the ball and had some great drives today that gave me the edge for my second shots. Â I’d like to thank our captain Terry Murphy for the great work he has done this year so far. It has been a great day, very challenging, but great fun to play with my fourball Jim Greene, Kevin Kelly, and Brady Murnin.
“I plan to get down below my six handicap this year which would be an another achievement for me.”
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On the ladies tee were Kathleen King, Past Ladies Captain, Anne McGint, Terry Murphy, Club Captain, Linda Thompson, Lady Captain, and Stella Denvir. [/caption]
The nearest challenger to O’Hare was Leitrim man Jim Cunningham. The nine-handicapper got off to a shaky start but still managed 18 points on the opening nine. A strong homeward nine of 20 points, with a birdie at the 14th, gave him a total of 38 points, and second place.
In third place was Sean Looby. Looby had 20 points at the turn but an unfortunate run at holes 11, 12 and 13 set him back a little. Two closing pars helped him to 38 points, but Cunningham’s superior back nine gave him the edge.
Ardglass man Gerry Shields came home in fourth place. Shields failed to score at the first and dropped three further shots in the next four holes before he steadied the ship. However, the rest of the 10-handicapper’s round was almost impeccable and saw him return a total of 37 points winning on the back nine.
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Ardglass Golf Club Captain Terry Murphy with his wife Geraldine.[/caption]
Also on 37 points and taking fifth place was another of the low men, Gareth Donnelly. The Crossgar man was four over after six holes, but consecutive birdies at the 8th and 9th brought him back to two-over at the turn. Despite a dropped shot at the next, he played the final eight in level par for a round of 73, the second best gross of the day.
Unluckily relegated from the prizes on countback were Nicholas Evans and Conor McConvey, both of whom also returned 37 points.
No fewer than a further eight players finished on 36 points, but at least some of them had the consolation of picking up minor prizes. Among thenm was MUSA captain Aiden Walshe, who overcame a few shaky opening holes to take the Team Captain’s Prize.
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Daniel Vaughn was nearest the pin on the 7th hole and won the gross prize with a tremendous round of 71. [/caption]
John F Rice will be regretting a double bogey finish but his 36 points was good enough for the Seniors Prize, while Stephen Harris took the special prize for those club members who had acting as Course Marshals during the recent Irish Open.
Others finishing on 36 points were Jim Curran, Des Tohill, Paul Gribben, Willie Carville and Jonathan Lennon. Big-hitting Lennon’s consolation was winning the Longest Drive competition with a massive effort at the ninth.
Daniel Vaughan won the Best Gross prize by a clear five shots with a magnificent round of 71. The plus-one handicapper carded two birdies, thirteen pars and three bogeys in his one-over round. Julien Swail just pipped Gary Hamill to the second Gross prize with his round of 76.
Also in the prizes were Kevin Carville (Past Captains’), Gerry Keenan (Council), Gerry Vaughan (1st Guest), Sean Murphy (2nd Guest) and Ian Coyle (Visiting Guest).
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