Garreth wins year’s final 18 holes competition

It was fitting that the golfer of the year for 2012 should come out on top.

Garreth Moody (7), who has had a spectacular season, shot his best ever score round Banbridge, a one under par gross 68 and 44 stableford points. Birdies at 4, 11 and 16 cancelled out the bogeys at 10 and 18. It was truly a wonderful round from Garreth especially when you consider that he was playing off an 18 handicap at the start of the 2011 season.

Philip Strong (20) lived up to his name by taking second place with 43 points. Philip started very poorly with three double bogeys in a row. But what a strong finish1 Philip birdied the last two holes to leapfrog into second place.

Trevor Mulholland (13) is certainly finishing off his season in fine style. He was third, also with 43 points. Trevor started with 6 straight pars, and then birdied 11, 12 and 16. His only blemish was an 8 at the long par five 14th hole. That cost him the top spot.

Colin McDonald (13) was fourth with 42 points. Colin’s round was certainly a story of two halves. He played the first nine holes in 8 over par, which was not good. But, all credit to him, he turned it all around by covering the second nine in one under par gross. That was a nine shots improvement. Brilliant!

Colin’s superb second nine was good enough to beat John Fitzpatrick (17) on countback. John also had 42 points but, not for the first time this season, finished just outside the prizes.

Ivan Rushe (13), Walter Smyth (15), John Parkes (13) and Eamon McAnarney (14) all finished with 41 points. There were no prizes for Ivan, Walter or Eamon but John was awarded the seniors prize and that pleased him no end.

Kieran McGreevey (21) and Kerry McCluskey (10) were alone on 40 points.

Ronnie Halliday (8), Garth McDonald (16), Josh Lockhart (6), Gary McCormick (13) and Danny O’Boyle (13) all played very well and all finished with 39 points.

The calculated standard scratch score was nett 67 or 38 stableford points. This was equalled by Jim Matthews (14), Shane Bell (6), Stanley Dickson (19), Trevor Woods (5), Colin Dodds (14), Michael Beattie (19), Hugo Downey (8), Sherwin Curran (18), Damian Weir (5), Paul Downey (11) and John Crothers (13).

The best gross prize, for the tenth time this season, went to Rory Leonard with a level par gross 69.

So that’s it for another season. It was a season, which Garreth Moody dominated from start to finish. Whose turn will it be next year? We all live in hope.