Honours even in Governor Hugh L Carey Challenge Cup
Alex Gleeson (GUI) driving at the 15th tee as the sun goes down over Galway Bay during the first day of the Corrib Oil sponsored Carey Cup matches at Galway Bay Golf Resort (17/05/2017). Picture by Pat Cashman
The GUI and the Metropolitan Golf Association of New York shared the spoils on day one of the Governor Hugh L Carey Challenge Cup at Galway Bay.
The MGA won the morning foursomes 2-1 with the GUI hitting back to win the fourball session by the same margin in the afternoon, leaving the sides tied at 3-3 entering today's final singles session.
The GUI are the current title holders following their 8-4 win at Metedeconk in 2015 and need 3.5 points from six to win today and retain the trophy.
Naas duo Conor O'Rourke and Jonathan Yates formed a winning partnership on Thursday, beating Brian Komline and Trevor Randolph 2 and 1 in the foursomes before seeing off Randolph and Darin Goldstein 5 and 4 in the fourballs.
Sixteen-year-old Mark Power partnered Colm Campbell to a 3 and 2 victory against Steward Hagestad, the leading amateur in the Masters this year, and Ethan Ng in the fourballs.
The Americans took the morning session with Hagestad and Goldstein claiming a two-hole victory against Alex Gleeson and Kevin Le Blanc.
Clubmates O'Rourke and Yates overturned an early deficit in the first match to claim a 2 and 1 success before Campbell and Power fell to Ng and Tyler Cline after a spirited battle.
Gleeson and Le Blanc took Komline and Cline to the last but lost by one hole in the opening fourball
However, O'Rourke and Yates didn't make a bogey in the afternoon as they eased a 5 and 4 win over Randolph and Goldstein as teenager Power and Campbell had a fine 3 and 2 win over Hagestad and Ng.
Governor Hugh L Carey Challenge Cup, Sponsored by Corrib Oil, Galway Bay Golf Resort
GUI 3 MGA 3
Results - Wednesday 17th May
Foursomes (GUI names first)
GUI 1, MGA 2
- Conor O'Rourke & Jonathan Yates beat Brian Komline & Trevor Randolph 2&1;
- Alex Gleeson & Kevin Le Blanc lost to Stewart Hagestad & Darin Goldstein 2H;
- Colm Campbell & Mark Power lost to Tyler Cline & Ethan Ng 3&2
Fourballs (GUI names first)
GUI 2, MGA 1
- Alex Gleeson & Kevin le Blanc lost to Brian Komline & Tyler Cline 1H;
- Colm Campbell & Mark Power beat Stewart Hagestad & Ethan Ng 3&2;
- Conor O'Rourke & Jonathan Yates beat Trevor Randolph & Darin Goldstein 5&4
Overall GUI 3, MGA 3
Thursday 18th May
0830 - Singles (GUI names first)
- Alex Gleeson v Darin Goldstein
- Mark Power v Ethan Ng
- Conor O'Rourke v Brian Komline
- Kevin Le Blanc v Trevor Randolph
- Jonathan Yates v Tyler Cline
- Colm Campbell v Stewart Hagestad