Mount Juliet Golf Notes

Last Sunday saw the Intermediate Scratch Cup run for the first time and this was a singles stroke competition over 18 holes. This proved to be a very popular competition with visitors and members alike with quite a large entry on the day. The winning score was 81 gross which is nine over par for the course and this was returned by Aidan O’Keeffe from Cobh Golf Club who played very steady golf throughout his round.

Aidan had nines of 39 and 42 shots respectively with his only birdie coming on the long 2nd hole. He completed his round with bogies on the 16th and 18th but held on by 2 shots from his nearest rivals to record an impressive victory. In second place came John McGrath who just pipped Billy Mernagh on a countback over the last nine holes. The best nett score for the day was won by Keith Richards with a 70.

Last weekend saw the second round of the Summer League completed and this was completed before the start of the
Intermediate Scratch Cup. The ladies were very much to the fore in the league with some excellent scoring. In first place came Helen Walsh with 43 points closely followed by Karan Murphy with 41 points. The only man to feature on the podium was Conor Mulholland and he was some six shots behind the winner. Helen started her round rather unimpressively with a treble bogey seven on the 1st but settled down well to record 21 points for her first nine holes. Apart from failing to register a point on the 12th, she scored a further impressive 22 points for her last nine holes.

On the Inter Club front the Ladies Miele Fourball team were well beaten by Borris on a 3½ to 1½ scoreline and this week the Men’s Duggan Cup team will take on neighbours Callan in the second round. Callan have the home advantage of the odd match of five in what should be a close encounter.

Results – Intermediate Scratch Cup Sunday 5th May

Winner Aidan O’Keeffe (14) (Cobh) 81 shots

Second John McGrath (12) (Lisheen) 83 shots

Third William Mernagh (13) (Callan) 83 shots

Best Nett Keith Richards (13) (Fermoy) 70 nett

Results – Summer League Sunday 5th May

Winner Helen Walsh (31) 43 points

Second Karan Murphy (34) 41 points

Third Conor Mulholland (17) 37 points

The final lap of the “Lexus Race to Mount Juliet” was decided last Sunday when Barrie Trainor clinched the title over 36 holes in Mount Juliet. Barrie, who was a former Senior Cup player with his home club, Warrenpoint, had rounds of 68 and 70 for a total of 6 under par to win by four strokes from his playing partner on Sunday, Brendan McGovern and by winning the final he just pipped last year’s winner, David Higgins, for the Order of Merit title as well. Barrie collected €4,000 for winning in Mount Juliet and he collected a further €10,000 for the Order of Merit title.

He beat a select field of his professional compatriots to end his year on top of the pile. This is his sixth year as a professional, having won the Irish Amateur Championship and the PGA Ulster Championship, on the way to the biggest win of his career so far. Both Trainor and McGovern led the field on Saturday after they both had recorded rounds of four under par, 68’s, over the blue championship course. Trainor started his round with eight straight pars on Sunday before he birdied the par four 9th. He dropped two shots on the 11th and 12th before he finished his round with three further birdies on the 13th, 14th and 17th holes for a two under round of 70 shots. In the meantime, McGovern, who lost a ball on the 4th and try as he might could not catch Trainor to finish his round with a 74 which was two over par and this was enough to earn him second place on Sunday. Jimmy Bolger, Kilkenny, finished joint third with David Higgins on Sunday for a good week-end.

The Pro-Am on Friday was contested by 33 teams of four comprising of a professional and three amateur golfers. This event was won by a team led by Old Conna professional, Donal Gleeson, who beat the Jimmy Bolger led team on a countback. Both teams having scored 95 points and were 3 shots clear of the team led by Greenore professional, Robert Giles. The evening concluded with a dinner and presentation of prizes in Kendals Restaurant with some lively and funny entertainment from Barry Murphy of Apres Match fame.

On the amateur scene last week there were two competitions played and the first one was the opening round of the popular Winter Series. This proved to be benefit for some members of Thurles Golf Club as they won the first two prizes. The winners had a great score of 99 points and they had 5 shots to spare from their fellow club members.

The last of the Ladies Invitation Days was held on Wednesday and the format was a Three Person Rumble. This proved to be a successful outing for the team led by Brona Reidy who had a convincing win with 71 points. Brona’s partners were Edel Banim (11) from Woodbrook G.C. and Maeve O’Reilly (12) from Powerscourt G.C.

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Results Winter Series 4 Person Team Event

Winners

Pat Stakelum (18) Thurles G.C.

Pat McEvoy (13)

John Nevin (15)

John McGrath (15) 99points

Second

Jack O’Keeffe (15) Thurles G.C.

V. O’Keeffe (17)

Eamon O’Kennedy (12)

David O’Kennedy (13) 94 points

Results Pro-Am Friday 14th October

Winners

Donal Gleeson, Old Conna

Hugh O’Connor (6)

Helen Hedigan (20)

Geraldine Forde (32) 95 points

Second

Jimmy Bolger, Kilkenny

Bill Connolly (16)

P.J. Butler (15)

Billy Fanning (14) 95 points

Third

Robert Giles, Greenore

Alan Hoyne (7)

Mark Adamson (10)

Gary Stewart (6) 92 points