Narin & Portnoo Golf Club Notes 15th June 2009

The Coastal Windows Monthly Medal at Narin and Portnoo Golf Club featured a new amateur course record and a hat-trick of holes-in-one. Sixteen year-old, Finnian O’Doherty of Letterkenny followed his 44 points achieved in finishing runner-up in last week’s President’s Prize with a superb score of two under par 71 on Sunday. The six-handicapper has seen his handicap reduce by eight shots in the past year and there is surely more to come from the young man, especially as he cut four shots off the previous record held jointly by Martin Roarty of Strabane and Donal Boyle of Cruit Island. After turning in one over par 36, Finnian garnered four birdies coming home to record a nett 65 for a two-stroke victory. For the record, his splendid card read as follows: 453 445 344; 434 454 443, 36/35 71.

Finnian’s feat was magnificent, but three other golfers were staking their own unique place in the club’s honour roll by recording aces at the same hole. The beautiful par three seventh has long been one of the signature holes at Narin and Portnoo and it will always be extra-special for John Quinn, Frankie Kennedy and Kevin Patton after last Sunday’s wonder shots. The latter utilised his nine iron, while the other two took one club more.

The club’s Minor League side won three-two on Sunday at home to Bundoran but they will have to pull out all the stops in the return leg of this quarter final to edge the tie overall. There were wins for the pairings of Paul and Frank McGinley, Pat Gallagher and Connell Gavigan and Anthony Harkin and Patsy Harkin.

Michael Naughton is the embodiment of the modern man, reading his Proust, growing his own vegetables and taking on the big players at Vegas. His golf game is firing on all cylinders at present and he is showing players fifty years and more his junior how to vanquish a testing links. His win in the latest Wednesday Open was achieved despite an indifferent start but 23 points coming home eliminated all pretenders to the throne. Seven pars on the return leg emphasises his consistency and prowess. First-timer, Anne MacDonald of the Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club in Scotland pushed him close, only to miss out on a break-off-tie.

The 3Ts charity fundraiser was held on Saturday and Frankie Kennedy (of hole-in-one fame) edged Goretti Cunningham to the associated Canon Devlin Cup. The latter was bidding to become the first lady winner going back to 1934 but Frankie’s back nine just pipped her to the podium’s first step. Both players will join the captain and professional in the Ulster Final of this national competition at the Slieve Russell later in the summer. Dr. Richard Devlin, son of the founder, was in the club with his wife Audrey on Sunday and he was delighted to see his father’s Cup still on the competitive roster.

Congrats are extended to our club professional, Connor Mallon, who achieved a top ten finish at the Irish Club Pros Tournament held last week in Drogheda. He’s in Dundonald, Scotland this week, one of the few Irish qualifiers at the 2009 Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship. The £78,000 event is the most prestigious tournament available to PGA professionals in Great Britain and Ireland. He joins 155 other players in the field, all of whom will be trying to secure a place on the 2009 Great Britain & Ireland team to take on America in the PGA Cup at The Carrick at Loch Lomond from September 18-20, 2009. The top 10 finishers also gain exemption from regional qualifying for the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews. We wish him the very best.

Results:
June 10: 1. Michael Naughton (14) 39 b.o.t.; 2. Anne MacDonald (36) 39 Strathpeffer Spa, Scotland; 3. Adrian Maguire (20) 38; 4. Seamus Ryan (17) 37; C.S.S. 73 Twos: 18 balls

June 13: 3TS & Canon Devlin Cup 1st Gent: Frankie Kennedy (12) 72 b.o.t.; 1st Lady: Goretti Cunningham (22) 72; 3. Mickey Campbell (13) 73 b.o.t.; 4. John O’Doherty (20) 73; Non-qualifying.

June 14: Coastal Windows 1. Finnian O’Doherty (6) 65; (Amateur Course Record 71); 2. Kevin Byrne (18) 67; 3. Eamon McGill (9) 67; Gross Kevin Patton (9) 67; Cat B Sean McGinley (17) 71; Cat C Martin Sweeney (26) 75; Nines: Finn McCrory (8) 33; Maurice Crotty (12) 37; C.S.S. 73; Holes-in-one: John Quinn @ 7th; Frankie Kennedy @ 7th; Kevin Patton @ 7th; Twos: 2 balls each

June 14: Minor League Quarter Final 1st leg: Narin & Portnoo 3 Bundoran 2

Fixtures:
The details of upcoming competitions may be viewed on the club website, which is currently being renovated.

June 21: Killybegs Golf Society, Single Stableford, Open

June 24: Wednesday Open, ladies and gents, single stableford, 20 euro entry for G.U.I. visitors including green fee