Burns denies McKenna to win Mourne Captain’s Day

Stephen Burns came out on top to win Paul Mullan’s Captain’s Day at Mourne Golf Club and celebrate a special win at one of the most prestigious fixtures on the club’s golfing calendar.

Spare a thought for Michael McKenna who matched Burns’ score, but an untimely finish meant he had to settle for second place on a countback. Burns and McKenna finished top of the pile with 39 points apiece on the Championship Links that bared its teeth much like Oakmont did at the US Open in Pennsylvania last week.

Burns was somewhat loose on the front nine before dialling in on the back nine to return an impressive – and decisive – level par inward half of 36 that included seven pars, a birdie at 16 and just the one dropped shot at the treacherous 18^th.

McKenna by comparison will take this one on the chin for he struggled to reach the sanctuary of the clubhouse after a sublime purple patch. A steady front nine picked up pace when ‘Kenny’ rattled off three birdies on the spin from the 12th. However, like those losing their minds at Oakmont, he ran up a destructive quadruple eight at the 15^th and stumbled home with three closing bogeys. It was stellar golf most of the day, but RCD can break you at any moment.

Paul Murray navigated the links with a steady 37 points to claim third, while Stephen Barker took the gross on a countback after he and Noel Crawford both signed for impressive one-over 72s on a difficult day. Rumour has it there might even have been a bet between the pair before the off.

Michael Keane secured the Past Captain’s Prize with 37 points, while the evergreen Martin Greene won another Veteran’s Prize with 24 points on the reduced holes format on the Annesley Links.

The Ladies’ first prize went to Mary Rose McClean with 33 points after another countback where she denied Ziz O’Hare in second. The Visitors’ Prize went to Bradley Cooke with 29 points.

There was the usual fun and games with Sean Murray taking the Closest to the Pin prize at the 10^th, while Gerry ‘Slingshot’ Vaughan produced the goods to secure the Longest Drive at the 18^th. In an innovative game of hitting into the washing machine like our very own Grand Slam champion Rory McIlroy, it was Eugene Cunningham who showed great promise and put the most shots into the drum in the chipping contest. (The traditional putting competition was not possible while the Mourne putting green recovers after last year’s Irish Open).

Captain Mullan made a passionate speech at the prizegiving that included a moment to remember his mum and dad who both passed away in the last year: “Today I am very proud to be Captain of Mourne Golf Club, but I am also thinking about my mum and dad and our wider family. My dad ‘Jock’ was a big part of Mourne Golf Club and today we miss them both.”

Paul and his wife Karen hosted their guests and family at Mourne Golf Club where Trevor and Denis Orr were on hand with a carvery dinner in the evening and had the opportunity to serve all the Captain’s Day golfers during the day as they came off the course.

A total of 213 golfers competed in Mullan’s Captain’s Day, 172 for the main competition, 10 veterans, 26 ladies and five visitors. A fantastic turnout all round. From all the members and players, a huge thank you to our Captain Paul and his wife Karen for their generosity and a great day, one of the highlights of the golfing year.