Kenny and Jim keep their cool to claim President’s Prize in tight final

Kenny Stevenson and Jim Mallon won the President’s Prize last Saturday as they edged the final of the Fourball Matchplay Championship.
Banbridge Golf Club President Felix Duffy with the Presidents prize winners Ken Stevenson and Jim Mallon and runners up Ken Whan and Neill Madeley ©Edward Byrne Photography INBL1537-261EBBanbridge Golf Club President Felix Duffy with the Presidents prize winners Ken Stevenson and Jim Mallon and runners up Ken Whan and Neill Madeley ©Edward Byrne Photography INBL1537-261EB
Banbridge Golf Club President Felix Duffy with the Presidents prize winners Ken Stevenson and Jim Mallon and runners up Ken Whan and Neill Madeley ©Edward Byrne Photography INBL1537-261EB

This was the highlight of Felix Duffy’s President’s Day as the final looked like it could go either way right up until the last hole.

In the semi-finals, Kenny Stevenson and Jim Mallon beat Barry Tumilty and Rory Leonard.

Neil Madeley and Kenny Whan beat Adam McGregor and Matthew Mallon.

Banbridge Golf Club President Felix Duffy with the Lady prizewinners on Presidents Day, Sharon Allen (3rd), Jane Doyle (overall winner), Mildred Hodgett(1st) and Ann Magennis (2nd) ©Edward Byrne Photography INBL1537-259EBBanbridge Golf Club President Felix Duffy with the Lady prizewinners on Presidents Day, Sharon Allen (3rd), Jane Doyle (overall winner), Mildred Hodgett(1st) and Ann Magennis (2nd) ©Edward Byrne Photography INBL1537-259EB
Banbridge Golf Club President Felix Duffy with the Lady prizewinners on Presidents Day, Sharon Allen (3rd), Jane Doyle (overall winner), Mildred Hodgett(1st) and Ann Magennis (2nd) ©Edward Byrne Photography INBL1537-259EB

This left us with a intriguing final, Neil and Kenny versus Jim and the other Kenny.

This is how the final unfolded:

1st- Jim Mallon won it with a nett birdie.

2nd- Kenny Whan won it with a nett birdie. All square.

The Juvenile prize winners with President Felix Duffy, Jack McKerr, Rory McNiff and Conor Weir ©Edward Byrne Photography INBL1537-262EBThe Juvenile prize winners with President Felix Duffy, Jack McKerr, Rory McNiff and Conor Weir ©Edward Byrne Photography INBL1537-262EB
The Juvenile prize winners with President Felix Duffy, Jack McKerr, Rory McNiff and Conor Weir ©Edward Byrne Photography INBL1537-262EB

3rd- Kenny Stevenson won it with a perfect par. One up.

4th- Jim 3-putted. Kenny Whan won with a nett birdie. All square again.

5th- Jim missed a 4 footer for a half. Neil won with a nett birdie. He goes one up.

6th- Kenny Whan thought he was in the water but was surprised to find his ball at the back of the green. He secured an unlikely half.

7th- The low men, Kenny Stevenson and Neil Madeley, both birdied this hole

8th- Two pars for the low men again and another half. Neil and his partner are still one up.

9th- Kenny Stevenson showed his class. A 3-wood, a 54 degrees wedge and a 15 feet putt added up to a winning birdie. The match was all-square at the turn.

10th- A mistake from Kenny Stevenson. He 3-putted from 17 feet. Neil won the hole with a nett 3. He regains the lead.

11th- Jim Mallon hit a superb drive, an ever better 6 iron into 8 feet from the hole. He won it with a nett birdie. It was all square for the fourth time.

12th- Neil was short, pitched to 30 feet and then holed the putt for an amazing half.

13th- Kenny Stevenson and Neil both hit their approach shots into 10 feet. Both narrowly missed. Still all square.

14th- Neil and Kenny Whan both on in 3 shots and looked like winning the hole. Jim missed the green left but played a superb pitch into 6 feet and he holed the putt for a half.

The scoreboard still read all square. Only 4 holes remaining.

15th- Jim hit a rescue club into 8 feet. He got his par and so did Neil. Another half.

16th- Neil hit a superb 4 iron to the left of the pond. Kenny Stevenson hit a lovely rescue club off the tee and then hit a 7 iron into 15 feet above the hole. Neil hit his approach even closer, 5 feet below the hole.

Kenny studied his putt from every angle and then holed it. Neil surprisingly missed. Kenny and Jim were one up.

17th- Kenny Whan and Jim halved the hole with two nett pars.

18th- Jim saved his best shot for the last hole. He hit a rescue club 192 yards into 3 feet from the pin.

Kenny Whan and Neil both got 3’s but it was not good enough.

They conceded Jim his putt and shook hands.

Kenny Stevenson and Jim Mallon had won a fabulous match by 2 holes up.

The game was played in the best sporting manner.

All four players contributed their fair share of good shots.

Jim Mallon’s wonder shot into the last clinched it. Was he happy? What do you think?

The better-ball for the match, counting shots, was nine under par.

That is top class golf from four top class players.

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