Sydney peppers the pins to shine in Seven Stars comp

The Seven Stars Restaurant in Loughbrickland sponsored the competition thanks to the kind auspices of PJ Johnston.

Sydney (12 now 11) took first prize with a marvellous score of 42 points.

Sydney has been a lifelong member of the club and sometimes he thinks that his best years are behind him. That is clearly not so.

Sydney is a tremendous player. He drives the ball well, hits his irons very precisely and, on his day, can chip and putt as good as anyone.

He also has a wonderful attitude to the game. Last Saturday, for example, he was four over par after three holes. Did he give up? No way!

Sydney played the remaining 15 holes in only two over par.

That gave him a 75 gross and 42 stableford points. If anyone deserved to win, it was Sydney.

It was a close run thing though. Freddie Rowan (15 now 13) was second also with 42 points. He had a very steady round, free of double bogeys.

Michael Robinson (14) was third with yet another 42 points. He birdied holes two, five and 17 but a double bogey at the short 12th cost him dear.

Kenny Baines (15) also had 42 points but missed out totally on countback. How he must have rued that ugly eight at the 14th hole.

Paul Magennis (4), the club captain, won the best gross prize with a one over par 70.

The prize for best senior went to Colin McKinney (17) with 40 points.

The standard of scoring was superb. The calculated standard scratch was 68 or 37 points. Ten players equalled the CSS and 25 broke it.

Colin McDonald and Gary Rooney both had 41 points.

Gerry McBrien, Declan Barry, Kenny Arlow and Brian Parkes all had 40 points. They all went home empty-handed, which was sad.

But the man of the moment is without doubt Sydney Pepper. He has set the standard for us all.

You’re a wonderful golfer, Sydney. No doubt about it!