Sizzling finish enough to get Muckian over the line

The clocks went back today and the Winter golf season began with the early morning starters well wrapped up before the temperatures rose to make it a perfect golfing day for most of the field.

Teeing off just after noon, Cathal Muckian took full advantage of the conditions to win the Singles Stableford competition with a fine score of 31pts.

But the 11 handicapper needed a birdie on the last to join Colin Roche (5) on 31pts and after the countback failed to separate them on the last nine and last six holes played it was Muckian’s nine points on the final three holes, which came courtesy of three consecutive three point scores, which proved decisive.

Muckian started his round steadily as picked up two points at each of the first five holes before scoring nine points over the next three holes after a birdie, par, par run.

However, all that good work was undone by a blank on nine which left him on 19pts with five to play. A bogey six at the 10th for one point was not the best response but he steadied the ship with a two point bogey at the index two 11th and then had three point pars at the next two holes before that birdie on the short par four 14th which was the final hole of the day.

Roche he had to settle for the Category 1 prize while one of the early starters, Pat McGuinness (15), zoomed around the course in an impressive 30pts to take Category 2 with Jimmy O’Connor (19) claiming Category 3 with the same total. Roche also claimed the best gross with 27pts.

Sunday, October 27 – 14 Hole Singles Stableford – Overall: Cathal Muckian (11) 31/20/12/9pts. Category 1 (0-13): Colin Roche (5) 31 pts, Jim Dwyer (10) 29pts. Category 2 (14-18): Pat McGuinness (15) 30pts, Paschal Keenan (15) 28pts. Category 3 (19+): Jimmy O’Connor (19) 30pts, Sean Ward (20) 29/22pts. Gross: Colin Roche (5) 27pts.