The grand final of the Marble City Travel sponsored Winter Series was played last week and it resulted in a win for John Mahon from Carrick on Suir who just pipped Kevin Fennelly on a countback. John had won the series in 2006 with a score of 33 points but he improved that score by just one shot this year to capture the prize again. Curiously enough, it was also on a countback that he won in 2006 and this year he had the better back nine against the Gowran Park man. Kevin will rue the fact that he failed to score on the long 17th, when going well, which eventually decided the outcome of the final.
On a pleasant Spring day, 26 golfers had endured the long winter to qualify for the playoffs and Mount Juliet was playing every bit of it’s 7300 yards off the blue tees. Quite a few players had a good first nine holes but faltered on the homeward nine. All qualifiers received their prizes at a dinner that evening and the winning three players also received very attractive prizes from the sponsor of the event this year, Marble City Travel. In third place in the final came Martin Devlin from Rathdowney Golf Club.
After the conclusion of a successful series the Summer Series will kick off in late May and this will run until September with a 4 person team event each month and like last year will have a shotgun start at 2.30 each day.
The ladies invitation days had it’s first start of 2009 last Wednesday and there was a full turnout for the 3 person scramble. The winning trio consisted of Brona Reidy with her playing partners, Pauline McEnery and Maeve O’Reilly, who had over three shots to spare on the Kilkenny trio of Margaret McCreery, Phyl Doyle and Paula Bradbury.
Last Sunday the Member/Guest 4 person team competition was played and although there was a small entry on a cold, windy day it did not upset the winners from scampering home with first prize with a very good score of 96 points. The winning team consisted of members Pat Doyle and Kevin McCartan who with their guests Emmett McGregor and Noel McCartan had nines of 46 and 50 points respectively to win very impressively by 9 clear points.
In the Inter Club competitions Mount Juliet had the Irish Mixed team in action against Wexford and the Barton Cup team pitted against near neighbours, Kilkenny. Sad to relate both teams met with defeat to the opposition, but only after a protracted struggle, as both teams lost their vital matches on the last green. The Ladies Minor Cup team was also in action this weekend against Athy, and sad to relate the Kildare club came out the winners by a margin of 3 matches to 2. At Mount Juliet, both home players won and all three matches were lost at Athy, the vital match losing on the 18th hole.
Results: Marble City Travel Winter Series:
Winner John Mahon (10) Carrick on Suir G.C. 34 points
Second Kevin Fennelly (8) Gowran Park G.C. 34 points
Third Martin Devlin (12) Rathdowney G.C. 32 points
Ladies Invitation Day 3 Person Scramble:
Winners Brona Reidy (14)
Maeve O’Reilly (14)
Pauline McEnery (36) 64.2 shots
Second Margaret McCreery (15)
Phyl Doyle (10)
Paula Bradbury (16) 67.9 shots
