Young Calum Connell was County Armagh Golf Club’s Golfer of the Year in 2018, and he will remember the 2019 campaign with some fondness too courtesy of his fine victory in Will Carey’s Professional’s Competition.
The prestigious tournament was held back on 15 June when, as befitted a mostly underwhelming summer’s weather, the Cathedral City course was subjected to an unseemly deluge.
However, the sodden conditions failed to dampen the spirits of either Will, who once again played a culinary blinder with his 11th tee barbecue, or indeed Calum, who recorded a nett 65 to sit proudly atop the saturated Saturday leaderboard.
The talented schoolboy fired back-to-back birdies at the 3rd and 4th on his way to a majestic one-over-par outward nine. Further birdies would follow at the 11th — no doubt an immediate consequence of Will’s burger boost — and 15th, which ultimately enabled Connell to sign for a gross 71 that sealed his Professional’s Prize glory.
Just a single stroke behind champion Calum, meanwhile, was runner-up, Stephen Monaghan, who racked up no fewer than 10 pars amid a terrific gross 80. Monaghan had his handicap slashed from 14 to 12 as a gratifying result of this sound showing on the soggy CAGC fairways.
John Maguire landed the overall third prize by virtue of a prodigious three-under-par 67. A round comprising 13 pars, four birdies and one bogey was just another phenomenal performance of what was a mightily impressive season for the one-handicapper.
Elsewhere, Derick Hynes prevailed in category 1 through an accomplished nett 68 that featured eight pars and a birdie at the 4th. Mark Loughran had cause to rue the unwelcome closing hat-trick of fives that curtailed his title tilt. Nevertheless, Mark’s typically excellent gross 73 saw him fill second spot in category 1.
Alec Nesbitt was at his most productive when registering three opening pars and, later, birdies at the 12th and 13th. Those useful purple patches helped Nesbitt to a wonderful nett 66 and first place in category 2. The runner-up here was Brian Cleland, who was unwavering throughout his handicap-bettering nett 69.
Scoring was steady if unspectacular in category 3, where two players who gathered up more than their fair share of honours this term again led the way. Proving unbeatable in this section was Thomas Crowe, whose nett 71 edged out Benny Simpson’s 73.
Finally, with no shortage of accolades on offer from a generous Will, Joe Rooney chalked up a gross and longest-drive double, while Desmond Kinsella’s characteristic precision earned him nearest-the-pin recognition.
