Winter League ends at Rockmount

The long overdue final, delayed by the snow in March and other player’s commitments was contested by team ‘Life without Brian’ and team ‘TBA’. Out first John McGrath lost 9 and 8 to Peter Brown. Paul Young lost 5 and 4 to John Cahoon; John McConnell lost by two holes to Martin McConville; Alan Young beat Stephen Young 4 and 3; while Joe Sweeney and Harry Greer shared their match. Out last Mark Kyle beat Alan Roper 3 and 2. The overall match score was ‘Life without Brian’ 2.5 and ‘TBA’ 3.5. Captain Glenn Willis presented both teams with their hard earned prizes immediately after the match. Also on Saturday the Abbey Insurance sponsored competition attracted a large field. Peter Brown (12) was first his net score of 67 was one better than Danny Montgomery (13) with a net score of 68. The low section (0-11) was won by Christopher Robinson (11) with a net score of 69. The mid-section (12-17) was won by Paul Neill (13) with a net 70 and the high section (18-28) was won by William Wong (23) also with a net 68. The best gross on the day was scored by Colin McClenaghan (02) with 77. On Sunday 28th April 2013 the Ulster Four-ball team welcomed Down Royal Golf Club to Rockmount for the return leg of this year’s first round match. The away leg was shared 2.5 – 2.5 with Down Royal six holes to the good. Out second Bob McClean and Roger Heasley brought the first point home winning 4 and 2. William Wilson and Sean Connor who teed of first were taken to the eighteenth hole before securing a second point. With insufficient holes left for Down Royal and the matches in favourable positions for the Rockmount team the two team Captains called the remaining matches in; Rockmount’s four-ball team will go into the second round. The Belfast and District Cup team faced Blackwood Golf Club in the return leg of their first round match. The first leg played at Blackwood Golf Club on Thursday was very fruitful for the Rockmount Team when they won 5 – 2 and needed only 2.5 at home to reach the next round. Warren Burnside led the team out in an outstanding display of golf; the first hole was shared with birdies to set the tone. Warren had three more birdies on the front nine before securing a 6 & 5 win on thirteenth hole. Blackwood responded quickly winning the second match. Out third Colin Henderson fought back from a two hole deficit after seven holes to win 5 & 3. Rockmount only needed a half from the remaining four matches. Adam Foreman, Jonny Patterson and Michael Clarke were all lying ‘dormy’ and James Hume was all square when the matches were called in. The Belfast and District Cup team will now meet Edenmore in the next round. The Holt Shield team travelled to Bangor Golf Club for their second match in the mini league format. With a team hampered by regular participants playing in the Belfast and District Cup the team captain decided to blood some Junior’s amongst his team. It was the Juniors Darren McClure, Conor Montgomery and Reece McKeown that pulled the team through, each winning their respective matches. The unfortunates to lose where the ‘more’ senior team members; Jimmy Robinson and Keith Cranston. The team won 3 – 2 but the performance of note has to be the fighting spirit shown by Reece McKeown, Reece was five down after ten holes and seemingly heading for a heavy defeat he won six of the next seven holes and held on at the eighteenth to win his first match in the Holt Shield. The veterans teams had mixed fortunes this week the Jimmy Carroll team topped the qualifying event at Antrim Golf Club and will go forward to the match play stages; whilst the J B Carr team excited this year’s competition losing 4 – 1 to Carnlea Golf Club at Carnlea. Rockmount Golf Club was honoured to host one of this year’s regional Jimmy Bruen Shield qualifying events on Sunday 5th May 2013. Twelve clubs started out vying for four places in the match play stages. Out first and setting the standard in testing conditions was the Rockmount Team; with the best four from five cards counting Rockmount set a target of 350. Frank Ward and Danny Montgomery scored 84, Paul Banford and Alan McClune scored 92, Ryan Wilson and Sam Milligan scored 87, Tom Rossi and Michael McCormick scored 89 and Frank Wallace and Peter O’Hara 90. The rest of the day was nail biting as the other scores started to come in. Downpatrick Golf Club bettered Rockmount by one scoring 349 but it was two teams at the tail of the draw that settled the results Kilkeel Golf Club scored 341 and Lisburn Golf Club one of the last pairings scored 342. Rockmount will play Kilkeel at Downpatrick in the first round of the match-play stages and Lisburn will play Downpatrick at Rockmount.