Jimmy Bruen team make it through qualifier

THE qualifying rounds for the Jimmy Bruen Foursomes were played last Sunday.

Banbridge had to play at Spa Golf Club and their team captain, John McDowell, knew that making into one of the top four places would not be easy.

Foursomes strokeplay is the most difficult format to the game of golf. It is so easy to run up an horrific score at one hole and the card can be ruined.

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It’s all about being patient and keeping the ball out of trouble. Good course management is the key.

John’s five pairings all had their ups and downs and, in fact, they thought that they had missed out.

Ian Young and Verdun Bond finished with a commendable 84; Luke Woods and Joe Glass held it together for an 85.

Shane Bell and Shane Rooney were only two over par coming to the ninth hole. They came to grief there, big time. They battled on for an 87.

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Malcolm Russell and Neville Kerr had to settle for another 87. They weren’t happy but, as it transpired, this was a vital score.

Keith Steenson and Gary McCartney found the going tough and handed in an 88.

The team score for Banbridge, based on the four best cards, was 343.

Rockmount (338), Warrenpoint (339) and Dunmurry (341) all finished ahead of Banbridge.

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It was a nervous wait for John McDowell and his team and, thankfully, no other team was able to knock them out of fourth place.

Banbridge have qualified and they will play Rockmount in round one at the neutral venue of Spa.

Now the matchplay is a different scenario altogether and we all expect Banbridge to do very well.

We will just have to wait and see what happens.

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