A FINE return of 21 points over the finishing four holes secured victory for Money Markets International (MMI) in the Irish Times/Lexus Corporate Golf Challenge at Mount Juliet on Saturday.
The images of pastoral serenity that Mount Juliet inspires were swept away in the strong winds that buffeted the course and it was clear that the team that adapted best would win.
It is to the credit of the winning team - as well as a good indicator of the high standards of this year's competition - that they managed to equal last year's winning score Mount Juliet always provides a stiff test, but the wind and some challenging pin positions, ensured all 48 competitors received a sterner than usual examination.
With the two best scores to count, MMI, composed of two 10 handicappers, a 15 and an 18 handicapper, held their nerve well when the pressure was on over the closing holes to edge out Forbairt by just two points.
Forbairt had made the early running recording a brilliant 47 points for the first nine. At that stage they were favourites to win, holding a five-point advantage over Frank Keane Holdings, and seven clear of MMI and Process Pumps.
The chasing pack knew they would have to produce something special if they were to catch Forbairt and that's exactly what MMI did, scoring six points on four of the holes on the back nine.
MMI's Cian Kealy, who's a member of Mount Juliet, must have known early on that it was going to be a good day. At the par three third hole he hit a seven iron into the wind to 12 feet and sank the putt for a net eagle. The 15-handicapper went on to score seven pars, five of them nett birdies.
Crucially two of those pars came at 17 and 18. With the par five 17th playing directly into the wind Kealy hit a driver, driver and four iron to the green. On the 18th, which is only 50 yards shorter, he played a seven iron for his second shot
Team captain Oisin Fanning, who's also a member at Mount Juliet, scored the first of two nett birdies at the index two fourth hole. Despite finding rough on the left slope of the narrow fairway, the 18-handicapper managed to steer a four iron into the heart of the green to two-putt for par.
Gerry Teahan, a member of Castlewarden, also made an early mark parring three of the first four holes. In this type of team competition the ability to dovetail good scores is vital and the 10-handicap per made a number of valuable contributions, including a fine nett birdie at the 12th.
However, his partner Michael, Denniver saved the best for last. The two team members, who had completed their round, believed their partners needed a second par on the final hole to win. The 10-handicapper rose to the challenge superbly to hit the longest drive of the day - 285 yards - at the hole.
With a prize for that in the bag, he then had to make par. His second shot, a six iron, was pin high but just drifted 25 yards to the right of the green. However, the European Club member, stepped-up and Ii rounded off a marvellous team performance with a chip to eight inches.
Obviously the highlights of Forbairt's round occurred in the first nine. After John Fagan's par at the fourth - a nett eagle which helped the team to a seven-pointer for the hole - and Tom Keenan's birdie at the 10th for another nett eagle they must have felt they were on their way.
Their undoing came in the home stretch where they only collected 11 points from four holes. Team member Noel O'Brien said afterwards: "We found water at the wrong times. I think the pressure got to us a little in the end." As might be expected given the closeness of the finish, Frank Keane Holdings also had their moments. William Thompson's round featured seven pars and two birdies.
