There was keen competition for the Heron Trophy played at Galgorm Castle Golf Club and sponsored by Russell Stirling Joinery. There was also an 18 Hole Subsidiary Stableford competition and a Back 9 Subsidiary Stableford competition.
Heron Trophy
Through the Front 9 only two points separated the first six teams. In the lead. In the lead by a slender one point were teams J.Taylor/A.McCartney and R.Gilchrist/S.McCabe. A point behind came the G.Wilkins/N.Reid and C.Galbraith/A.Whann pairings. The B.Watt/P.Reid and C.Thompson/M.Foster combinations were another point behind. After The Maple Galbraith and his partner Whann had improved and were leading by a point from Taylor and McCartney. A further point behind were the Watt/Reid, Wilkins/N.Reid and Gilchrist/McCabe teams. Thompson and Foster were another point back. Up the Grove Watt and P.Reid, after three pars, had improved to share the lead with Taylor and McCartney. (bogey, par, birdie) with two holes left to play. Galbraith and his partner A.Whann (bogey, par, bogey) were a point behind, followed by Thompson and Foster (three pars) and Gilchrist and McCabe (bogey, par, bogey) a further point down. Wilkins and N.Reid (par and two bogeys) were two more points down. In a close and exciting finish the B.Watt/P.Reid partnership finished par, bogey to win by one point from Taylor and McCartney (bogey, par) and Thompson and Foster (birdie, par). Second place went to C.Thompson and M.Foster with a better back nine and J.Taylor and A.McCartney came third. Another point behind came C.Galbraith and A.Whann (two bogeys), R.Gilchrist and S.McCabe (bogey, par) and Wilkins and N.Reid (par, birdie) and fourth place went to G.Wilkins and N.Reid with a better last six.
18 Hole Subsidiary Stableford
At halfway Adrian Atkinson (10) had a four point advantage over Paul Banks (8) ('ding' at the Sanctuary. Jacob Gray (16) ('ding' at Broadmeadows) was another point behind. Through The Maple Gray and Banks had improved and were only one point behind Atkinson ('ding' at Piat). Atkinson failed to score at the Devils Elbow and Beechers and Gray (birdie, bogey) was the new leader by two points from Banks (two pars). Atkinson was a further three points back. Gray bogeyed the Grove and finished with a birdie and a par to win comfortably by five points from Atkinson (par, birdie, bogey). Banks with three bogeys finished a point outside the placings,
Back 9 Subsidiary Stableford
Through The Maple George Tumilson (5) held a one point lead over Owen Elliott (10) ('ding' at Piat) and Noel McAlynn (13) with Craig Dean (9) ('ding' at Piat) a further two points behind. Up the Grove Tumilson, after recording three pars, was still leading by a point from McAlynn (double bogey, par, bogey). Dean (bogey and two pars) was another point behind. Elliott ('ding' at the Devils Elbow and two bogeys) was a further two points down. In a very close finish Tumilson with a bogey at the Lowlands and a 'ding' at the last came in to win by one point from McAlynn ('ding' at the Lowlands and a double bogey), Dean (bogey, double bo90gey) and Elliott (par, bogey) who finished together. Second place went to Elliott withj a better last three.
Results – Heron Trophy – Overall Winners – Brian Watt and Patrick Reid 47 Pts – 2nd. Colin Thompson and Mervyn Foster 46 Pts (BB9) – 3rd. James Taylor and Andrew McCartney 46 Pts – 4th. Gary Wilkins and Norman Reid 45 Pts (BL6) – 18 Hole Subsidiary Stableford – 1st. Jacob Gray (16) 43 Pts - 2nd. Adrian Atkinson (10) 38 Pts – Back 9 Subsidiary Stableford – 1st. George Tumilson (5) 19 Pts – 2nd. Owen Elliott (10) 18 Pts.