Hat-trick for Rogers: Low-handicap players don't win major prizes. Not so at The Island, where former senior cup player Kevin Rogers won his third captain's prize when taking Humphrey Kelleher's prize with an excellent score of 39 points off a five handicap last week and followed that with another 39 points on Saturday to win the PGA Tankard.
Rogers, the father of professional Aideen, was also successful when playing to a two handicap: he won Des McManus's captain's prize in 1974 and two years later produced another low round to win Cyril Cassidy's prize. Rogers looked far from convincing when he reached the turn with just 16 points in the bag. However, a back nine of two-under-par 34 with birdies at the 10th, 15th and 16th brought him home in 23 points to win by two from Dave McSwiggan, a past captain, with Denis Ryan, Shay Farrell and Joe Cuffe taking the other prizes.
The gross went to another past captain, Willie Leggett, with 29 points. Rogers produced the same round again in the Tankard to beat Mullingar Scratch Cup holder Eoin O'Sullivan by two points with Gavin Smith third on 37.
Urquhart triumphs
Nothing like doing it in style . . . and that is exactly what Marie Urquhart did recently in winning Anne Donovan's Lady Captain's Prize at Lucan. In the end the 11 handicapper had just one shot to spare over the 36 holes as her nett score of 140 pipped Lilly McKeown (40), but her victory was all down to a marvellous second day when she broke the course record as she brought in a score of 71 gross . . . an incredible nett 60. Her achievement in winning was all the more remarkable given that she had been some way down the field after the opening day of play having fired an 80. But her win now means she plays off nine.
Of course, Urquhart is no stranger to success. A winner of the Pamela Scott Classic at Mullingar last year with a score of 40 points, Marie, with the help of a hole-in-one, also won the gross in the President's Prize to ladies.
Other prize winners in the Lady Captain's Prize included Joanne Duffy (25), back in third in 142, while Sandra McCaffrey, playing off 14, took the gross prize with 179. But all the plaudits belonged to Urquhart.
Meanwhile, there were also records broken recently at Balbriggan. Marian Griffin, a nine-handicapper, fired a course record nett 65 to win Class One in the June monthly medal.
Winning habit
David Craughwell is making a habit of winning the Captain's Prize to juniors at Portumna Golf Club in recent years. Last month the right-hander claimed the honour for the fourth time in his last five attempts, which one year included winning left-handed when he was unable to compete right-handed due to injury.
The Captain's Prize itself went to Brian Grogan with 61 points. Second was Rory Coen, who went out leading qualifier but lost three points in the final round and scored 58 points to finish runner-up, with Anthony White next on 57. Frank Kiely was the gross winner with 46.
Hynes hits form
Ardee's Kathleen Hynes has certainly been in a rich vein of form of late, not just around her own club, featuring in the prizes on three successive days. The 13-handicapper began her winning streak in a senior ladies singles event on her own course firing 37 points. The next day she went five points better with a total of 42 to win Class One again around Ardee.
Then competing in the recent open week in Beech Park, she linked up with fellow Ardee member Sheila Roche (15) to claim the gross prize - with 24 gross points - in the fourball event, which was won by two members from Corrstown, Maura Staunton (16) and Catriona McWilliams (18) with 44 points, winning on a countback from Beech Park's Mary Barnwell (27) and Milltown's Cara Taffe (17).
The open week at Beech Park saw Arklow's 28-handicapper Phil Gough ace the par-three 15th hole, the first hole-in-one of the open week.
Esker Hills on top
There were strange goings on in the Barton Shield last Sunday week in Mount Temple. Tullamore must have thought they were on to a good thing against near neighbours Esker Hills when former Irish internationals Dinny White and Seán Flanagan won their match by 10 holes.
But lo and behold they were in for a little surprise as in the other foursomes match the Esker Hills pairing of Shane Lowry and Derek Molloy - who are also both members of Tullamore - defeated Carthage Flangan and Seán Larkin 11 up, to leave Esker Hills victorious by one hole.
Aces on the cards
If it is a hole-in-one you are after it appears Woodbrook is the place to go. The Wicklow club has had three holes-in-one in the past two weeks. In the Trustees Prize Tom Higgins had a hole-in-one at the 13th, holing out with a five wood at the 209-yard hole. Two weeks later in the first round of the Club Championships, Higgins was at it again, this time at the 136-yard 17th, where he holed with a pitching wedge. The next day, in the second round of the championship, Barry McGann, the former Irish international rugby outhalf, saw his driver shot of 230-yards disappear for an ace, again at the long par-three 13th.
Recently crowned ILGU Close champion Martina Gillen will be the one to beat at the Beaverstown Ladies Open Fourball on Thursday. The Kent State student is just one of a strong field for this annual event. Some places are still available on the time-sheet at 01-8436439.
skeenan@irish-times.ie
