Mourne Golf Club News

30/03/2022

By Paul Gallagher

The new golf season got underway last Sunday when Mourne Golf Club members took to the Annesley Links for the Wallace Cup where Aaron McKeown hit top form to win with a magical eight-under-par nett 59.

To break 60 is one of golf’s benchmarks and McKeown made the perfect start to his season. The Wallace Cup is one of the few competitions played over the Annesley Links as most club competitions take place on the Championship at Royal County Down.

The Annesley Links may be shorter in distance, but it commands just as much respect as the Championship Course because danger lurks around every corner. This combined with the Wallace Cup being a strokeplay event made McKeown’s score even more impressive.

The 15-handicapper enjoyed a birdie at the ninth, which combined with five straight pars coming down the stretch was good enough to win by two from Dermot Hawkins (61) in second. Hawkins had further reason to celebrate as he recorded a hole-in-one in Sunday’s glorious sunshine when his wedge rolled back off the slope and into the hole at the short 14th. Congratulations Dermot – drinks all round in the bar afterwards!

Leonard Murray was third after carding a nett 63 to finish ahead of a chasing pack that included Stephen Stockdale, Alan Truesdale, Paul Gallagher, Kevin Quinn, Ian McEvoy, and James Kelly.

Last Friday also marked the end of the Friday Winter Series where members of Mourne and some of their guests competed on the Annesley Links. James Maginn won the final event with a fine four-under 63 while Noel Crawford won the overall series with a 21-under aggregate.

Afterwards some the players presented the new Junior Scratch Cup trophy to the outgoing club captain Mark Guinness. The Junior Scratch Cup is aimed at young, upcoming players and other single handicap golfers and is a great addition to the fixture list alongside the existing Senior Scratch Cup.

(Pics courtesy of Danny Hillen)