A very successful and enjoyable Northstone Charity Day was held at Galgorm Castle Golf Club. There was a good turn-out of golfers although the weather was very blustery and cloudy with the odd shower. The winner was Conor Nicholl, playing off a handicap of ten, by two points from Leonard Campbell playing off twenty two.
Congratulations go to the Club Captain (Mr. B|rian Watt) and all involved in the organising and running of the event and to the ground staff for the good condition of the course. Proceeds of the day are being divided between Castle Tower School and Cancer Focus NI.
Division 1
At halfway Colin Steele (7) had a one point advantage over Kaeden Anderson (3). Josh Nicholl (Scr) was another point behind and Jordan Dembinski (9) was a further point down. Coming to the Devils Elbow Steele and Anderson were vying for the lead two points ahead of Dembinski. Nicholl was another point behind. After a par at the Devils Elbow and birdies at Beechers and the Grove Nicholl joined Steele (par followed by two bogeys) and Anderson (birdie, par, 'ding' at the Grove) in the lead with Dembinski (par at the Devils Elbow, bogey at Beechers and a par at the Grove) close up a point behind. Steele parred the last two holes to Win Division 1 by a point from Anderson (two pars) and Nicholl (two pars). Dembinski double bogeyed the Lowlands and bogeyed Shirleys Cottage to finish in third place a further two points behind. Nicholl Won the Gross.
Division 2
Through Longlands Stephen Mailey (12) and Conor Nicholl (10) were joint leaders but being pressed for the lead by Andrew Moore (13) a point behind. Matthew Laverty (12) was another four points down. Through The Maple Nicholl was joined in the lead by Moore, a point ahead of Mailey ('ding' at Arthurs Seat) with Laverty another four points back. Nicholl (parred the Devils Elbow, bogeyed Beechers and parred up the Grove) and Mailey (two pars and a bogey) were joint leaders a point ahead of Moore ('ding' at Devils Elbow followed by a bogey at Beechers and a par at the Grove). Laverty (bogey, par, birdie) was a further three points behind. Conor Nicholl finished strongly with a par down Lowlands and a birdie at Shirleys Cottage to WIN OVERALL. Moore with two bogeys was four points behind but Won Division 2 by a point from Mailey who hit bogey trouble to finish with two double bogeys and Laverty and Laverty with pars at Lowlands and Shirleys Cottage. Second place went to Matthew Laverty with a better back nine with Mailey in third place.
Division 3
Neil Fitzsimmons (16) ('dings') at the Trout Hole and The Niuc) was leading after the Front 9. There was strong competition for the leadership with Kenny Nicholl (19) ('ding' at The Niuc) a point behind and Timothy D'Arcy (18) and Tony Quinn (17) ('ding' at Lillyvale) a further point behind. At The Maple there was a three way tie for the leadership between Fitzsimmons, D'Arcy and Quinn. Nicholl was two points behind. Up the Grove D'Arcy, after a bogey at Devils Elbow, a par over Beechers and a bogey at the Grove, was leading by a point from Fitzsimmons (bogey, par, double bogey) and Quinn (bogeys at Devils Elbow, Beechers and the Grove). Nicholl (two pars and a double bogey at the Grove) was another point behind. In a very close finish D'Arcy (bogey at Lowlands and a double bogey at Shirleys Cottage), Fitzsimmons (two bogeys) and Nicholl (pars at Lowlands and Shirleys Cottage) finished together a point ahead of Quinn (double bogey, bogey). Fitzsimmons WON the Seniors. D'Arcy WON the Division with a better back nine and second place went to Kenny Nicholl and third place to Quinn.
Division 4
William Crawford (33) was leading at the start of the Back 9. He was being closely followed by Leonard Campbell (22) ('ding' at Longlands) a point behind. Another point behind came Gavin Leitch (20) ('dings' at Spences and The Niuc) and Colin Orr (22) ('ding' at the Trout Hole). Approaching the Devils Elbow Orr had improved with birdies at The Fort and Arthurs Seat and was the new leader by two points from Campbell. Leitch was another two points behind and Crawford ('dings' at The Fort and Piat) was a further point back. Campbell with pars at the Devils Elbow and Beechers and a bogey up the Grove was leading by two points from Leitch (bogey and two pars) and Crawford (bogey, double bogey, bogey). Orr after a double bogey at Devils Elbow, bogey over Beechers and a 'ding' at the Grove was another point down. Campbell 'ding' at the Lowlands and a bogey at Shirleys Cottage was joined by Crawford with a par and a 'ding' at Shirleys Cottage. Campbell WON the OVERALL RUNNER-UP placing with a better back nine and Crawford WON the Division by two points from Leitch (two double bogeys) in second place. Orr (@two double bogeys) came third (better back seven) another point behind.