Mullingar hosts very successful Open Week

Last week"s Open Week festival proved very successful, with good numbers every day representing clubs from all over the country. With the fabulous weather for the first seven days and the golf course in pristine condition, both members and visitors had reason to be content with their lot.There was some very good scoring right through the week and thanks to our generous and loyal sponsors, there was some very nice fare on offer. As reported last week the first Sunday event was the P.W.Shaw Intermediate scratch trophy. Monday"s event, the popular Fagan Office Supplies sponsored three person team event attracted a fine entry, with quite a large number of visitors on the Bank Holiday Monday with the following results.Winners - Martin Earle (10, Castlerea, Ger Walsh (15, do.) and John Mc Gurr (24, do.); Runners up were: Kieran Mc Gurran (9, Mullingar) with his guests from Castle Barna Vivian Quinn (13) and Seamus Feery(14) with 85 points. Third prize went to Louis Vambeck (16, Mullingar), Tom Davitt (12, Castlerea) and Michael Gunning (12, Mullingar) with a fine 84 points. Fourth and best ladies" team prize went to Ita Murtagh (22), Therese Colleary (23) and Bernie Mulroy (36) with a very creditable eighty three stableford points.Tuesday"s event, a four person team event drew a very good entry and the winning team with an excellent return were locals Gerry Purcell, Bernie Kelly, Brege McCarrick and Alan Warde. Their ninety seven points won by no less than seven from visitors, Ronan Lynch (22), Royal Tara and Tony Maher (4) Royal Tara, Paul Browne (15) Corballis and Paul Conway (16) Boyle.Third spot went to another local mixed quartet - Nicky (20) and Ita (22) Murtagh with Therese (27) and Brendan Colleary (14). Their score was eighty nine points. Also on Tuesday (morning) an open juniors" competition took place with the following results: Winner: - Ben Dillon (Headford, 2 handicap) 68 nett, runner up - Ken Rabbitt (Mullingar, 22 h/c) 70 nett, third - Liam Grehan (Mullingar, 18) 71 nett.Cassidy Hotel"s singles eventWednesday"s event was the Cassidy"s Hotel men"s singles and again there was a fine entry in continental weather conditions. The first prize winner with a phenomenal score of forty six stableford points was local man Patrick Curran playing off thirteen handicap (was); the runner up spot went to Larry Mahedy, playing off fourteen with a very good forty three points. Third prize went to Tom Moore (18 handicap) with a score of forty two points and the best gross prize was won by Tom Flanagan (New Forest) with a neat seventy shots.The attraction on Thursday was the annual Bank of Ireland men"s fourball betterball and in the sweltering heat there was some hot scoring also. The first prize winners were Michael Kelly (Moate, 17) and Murty Quinn (Castle Barna, 11) with a fine forty six points. They got home on the break of a tie from their opposites on the day, Kieran McGurran (Mullingar, 9) and Vivian Quinn (Castle Barna, 13). Third prize was won by John Ahern and his guest Barry Kehoe from New Ross with forty five points, while fourth prize was won by low handicapped locals Bernard Mc Donnell (4) and Paul Burke (3). Their score was forty four points.Friday saw another fine turn out of members and visitors for the annual Bloomfield House Hotel sponsored three person mixed team event. There were some excellent scores returned and all the prizes stayed at home for a change. The winners of the first prize were Geraldine Walsh (21), Tom Daly (18) and Eugene Dunne (18). They won on a tie break from Ita Murtagh (22), Phyllis Donnelly (26) and Nicholas Murtagh (20). Third spot, one shot further back were Joe Ryan (19), Jeanette McDonnell (18) and Gerry Caffrey (18)Non mixed prizes were won by Shay O"Callaghan, Aidan Mulligan and Paddy Wallace (Men) and the ladies" prize went to Siobhan Keogh, Breda O"Carroll and Claire Leavy.Drastic change in weatherSaturday saw a drastic change in the weather from glorious sunshine to cold and rain blown by a north east wind; nevertheless there was a full time sheet for most of the day and some fine scores returned in the Gerry Wallace sponsored men"s open fourball better ball and competition was again very keen and close. The popular winners with forty two stableford points were Moate"s Eamon Gallagher (10) and local man, Tom Hunt (18). They won on the break of a close tie from Liam Moran (15, Mount Temple) and Tom McDonagh (18, Moate). Third prize went to local uncle and nephew partnership, Joe (12) and Liam (17) Grehan with 41 points.The attraction on Sunday last was the forty fifth running of the thirty six hole Junior Scratch cup, this year generously sponsored by Sanrose golf course sand suppliers and like during the week the limited field was filled early. The weather man was reasonably kind to us on the day with just a breeze to contend with, resulting in good scores being returned from the single figure field. When the scores were computed the winner was Jamie Rothwell from The Curragh Golf Club with the total of 152. Jamie got the top award from our own Gerry Purcell by the narrow margin of two shots; Gerry had a misadventurous back nine on round two, I believe. Third prize went to former winner of this event Peter Keegan. The first eighteen score went to the winner"s club mate Damien Anderson and the second round prize went t to local man Paul Bray from New Forest golf club. The best 36 nett was won by club member Stephen Bray, who knows every blade of grass on the course by its first name, while the popular winner of the other gross prize was dynamic Johnny Geoghegan. The invitational mixed event, as always proved very popular with the popular winners being Hilary Shekleton and our Captain, Damien Daly from Michael and Breda Delaney.SuccessfulAll in all it was a very successful open week and the organisers are to be thanked for all their efforts. Thanks also to the course staff and all those involved in administration and catering for their professionalism through the week. Next Sunday the men"s competition is sponsored by Genesis Gift Gallery and as usual the time sheet is fast filling. The time sheet is available also for the Des Maguire Hairdressing Supplies Open mixed on Sunday week next.Long HandicapLast Thursday week"s long handicap event, generously sponsored by The Lighting Showroom attracted a fine entry with some very good scoring as is expected of late. The popular winner was Nicholas Murtagh with a superb thirty five points over the fifteen holes, Runner-up was Joe Ryan, going through a purple patch at the moment, and third spot went to Dave McAuliffe. That presentation will take place on this Thursday night, June 11.Ladies BranchOur two open days, Fagan Office supplies team event and Bloomfield Day as covered above briefly were tremendously successful and we look forward to many more open days in such fine weather.Interclub MatchplayThere are seven Mullingar teams currently marching on towards the sharp end of the various regional interclub matchplay competitions. Fantastic victories were recorded this week by the Junior Cup versus The Heath and by the Minor Cup team over Glasson to take both teams to the quarter final stage. The Junior foursomes team is up at the half way stage against Tullamore with a return match scheduled for the 18th of June. The Challenge Cup, the Senior Foursomes and the Boyne Trophy teams all have upcoming matches. It"s onward and upward in the quest for some pennants.Albany versus par results.1st Carmel Maher (20) 1 up; 2nd Joan Heery (29) Level; Gross Lucy Tormey 84; 3rd Siobhan O"Donnell Murphy (15) 1 down.