Noel wins final Medal event
NOEL Murtagh collected the final Medal of the season at County Armagh after returning a winning nett 63 in the Sunday competition.
Victory also confirmed a place in the Club Championship for the 11-handicapper who clinched the top prize on countback from Gervase Hughes and Ian O’Hea, both of whom also returned nett 63 scores.
Opening with five straight pars and a birdie, it was the par three 7th hole which saw Noel drop his first shot. However, even with two further bogeys at the 8th and 9th holes he was just two over par for his front nine.
An eagle three at the 12th was to compensate somewhat for four further dropped shots across the back nine. But his nett 63 proved the best on the day.
Nine-handicapper Gervase Hughes was in equally impressive form and pencilled in birdies at the 5th, 6th and 8th holes one his way to a one under par front nine. He dropped just three shots on the homeward trek to complete his nett 63.
Nathan Grimley topped Category 1 with a nett 66, birdies at the 2nd, 8th and 14th holes highlighting an excellent round. Alan Pedlow was just one shot adrift on nett 67 and deservedly took the runners up prize.
Ian O’Hea, playing partner to Nathan on the day, produced the other best score on the day – nett 63 – six shots better than the chasing pack in Category 2. Eamon O’Hagan’s nett 69 earned him the runners up prize.
And in Category 3 David P Grimley returned a nett 65 to win first prize with Hugh McAneaney runner up, two shots adrift on nett 67.
Gross prize winner Neil Cromwell had his sights set on the course record until he double bogeyed the 16th, very uncharacteristically dunking his second shot into the lake. Up until then the 2-handicaper was three-under par. His gross 70 finish was however, still the best of the day.