Ballycastle Chronicle - Sports - Team Goosen tops at Ballycastle

Sports

Team Goosen tops at Ballycastle

Thursday, 9 February 2012

THE P.J. McIlroy & Son sponsored Winter League reached the halfway stage at Ballycastle over the weekend with team Goosen maintaining their five point lead at the top of the table.
The morning golfers on Saturday were subjected to some ferociously cold, wet and windy weather but mercifully things did improve as the weekend progressed with those playing on Sunday getting by far the best of the conditions.
In Saturday's section one competition, John Callan, playing off five, took advantage of the slightly calmer afternoon conditions to post a level par round which gave him a winning total of 36 points for sixteen holes.
Second place in section one went to 12 handicapper Patrick Dixon with a total of 28 points.
In section two, Steven Devlin, playing off 17, carded 31 points to finish in first place with 14 handicapper Liam McGonigle pipping Gerard McCloskey for second place on the back nine after both men returned 30 points in the competition.
There was some hot scoring in Sunday's section two stableford competition as Michael Close, playing off 14, and Michael Campbell, playing off 15, each handed in brilliant scores of 39 points over the 16 holes.
First prize was awarded to Michael Close thanks to his fabulous back nine haul of 24 points with Michael Campbell having to settle for second place despite recording an excellent 21 points on his back nine.
Count-back was also necessary to separate the top two in section one after Sean McCormick, playing off 11, and Eamon McIlroy, playing off 12, both recorded 35 points on Sunday.
There was nothing to choose between Sean and Eamon over the last nine holes either with both golfers recording 20 points but, on the last six holes, Sean just shaded it by 14 points to 12.
John Morgan had an incredible eagle three at the first hole on his way to winning Wednesday's Open stableford competition with a superb total of 40 points over 16 holes. Second place went to Gerry Norwood on 37 points with Paul McKillen finishing in third with a score of 36 points.
Team Immelman were the top scorers in week five of the Winter League with team captain Michael Close leading the way thanks to his fantastic total of 39 points.
Also contributing for team I in week five was Liam Laverty with 34 points, Francis og McGinn with 32, Steven Devlin with 31 and Patrick McIlroy with 29 points.
Interestingly, a different team has now been the top scorers in each of the first five weekends and this has resulted in quite an open league this year.
Team Goosen continue to lead on a total of 37 points but team Immelman are now up to second on 32 points with team Clarke in third place on 29 points.
Teams Azinger and Daly are on 27 points with teams Ballesteros and Harrington still very much in the hunt for a top three team prize with 24 points amassed so far.
At the foot of the table, team Els are in great danger of collecting the wooden spoon as they have only managed to accumulate 12 points and a sizeable gap has opened between them and team Faldo on 19 points.
Jonathan McBride leads the way in the overall individual competition with a five card total of 166 points.
Patrick Dixon and Eamon McIlroy are tied for second with a total of 165 points, Declan McCarry has 162 points and Derek Bell has accumulated a total of 159 points.
Much can still change as both the overall individual and the best individual in each team will be determined by the best eight out of ten cards.