The North West Golf Club, situated at Lisfannon, was shorn of its usual defence of wind and the facile nature of any links course devoid of wind was reflected in the scoring by North Western Alliance members on Saturday.

There was a plethora of scores below and equalling the standard scratch of the course, very nicely set up with well-manicured fairways and fast, true greens. Congratulations to the greenkeeper.

In the Gross section, competition was intense to say the least. 

Finishing front nine and playing the course’s Amen Corner, [10th, 11th & 12th] there were 3 players on level par 35 gross, those being Dan Hines, Kealan Quigg and Paul McGuigan.

All three had two birdies each to offset two bogeys, and just one stroke behind was former European Amateur champion Brian McElhinney.

Brian was followed by four players on two over par, Paul Duffy, Luke Bradley, and James Lindsey, and keeping those three company was Michael McGeady, who had arrived back home at 2.30 a.m. from his exploits in qualifying for the next stage of the European Tour qualifying school in France.

Congratulations Michael and best of luck. Despite the late hour, Michael again showed his allegiance to the Alliance [both he and his father Cahir being past Captains] by turning up for his 8.00 a.m. tee off time.

Thus it was on the inward nine that the competition really got going with birdies galore. The first to fall away were Paul Duffy and Luke Bradley, whilst Dan Hines played it in one over, Paul McGuigan recording one under and Kealan Quigg two under gross.

James Lindsay signed for three under but it was Michael McGeady who took the honours as he threw off his tiredness to birdie 10th, 11th, 15th and 17th and, by parring the rest, returned a four under par gross home nine to win on B.O.T. from Kealan Quigg.

James Lindsay surprised even himself to take the nett prize from playing partner Paul Doherty with both scoring 38 points.

After two competitions played in the Golfer of the Year table, Michael McGeady leads the gross section on 20pts with James Lindsay on 17pts.
while in the Nett section, Clive Davison has 12pts and James Lindsay is again in second place on 10pts.

One of our members suffered an unfortunate accident at the 14th and everyone will be relieved to know that he is well, apart from a badly swollen and sore ankle. Get well soon.

Nett

1. James Lindsay (1) North West G.C. 38 pts [b.o.t.]
2. Paul Doherty (6) North West G.C. 38 pts 
3. Odran McGettigan (25) Strabane G.C. 37 pts [b.o.t.]
4. Michael Houston (12) City Of Derry G.C. 37 pts [b.o.t.]
5. Eugene Corry (10) Newtownstewart G.C. 36 pts [b.o.t.]
6. Clive Davison (12) Portsalon G.C. 36 pts; b.o.t.

Gross

1. 1st Michael McGeady (+4) North West G.C. 68 [b.o.t.]
2. 2nd Kealan Quigg (+1) North West G.C. 68
3. 3rd Paul McGuigan (1) Foyle G.C. 69
4. 4th Brian McElhinney (scr) North West G.C. 71 [b.o.t.]
5. 5th Dan Hines (scr) City of Derry 71
6. 6th Luke Bradley (4) North West G.C. 74

‘2’s’  D Forbes, R Smallwood, J Kelly B Wallace

There are still places available on the time-sheet for anyone wishing to join and a new section this year is for those golfers who wish to make up a fourball on the day but are not actually members of the Alliance. Green fees apply.

Next Outing: Nairn/Portnoo, Saturday 17 October 2015