MAGUIRE FOLLOWS ROUTE 66 TO LONSDALE GLORY

It's difficult to imagine a performance more deserving of glory than that produced by John Maguire on Saturday 10 June.

Maguire illuminated the Lonsdale Cup, sponsored by Armagh City Hotel, with a stunning four-under-par gross 66 to earn a two-shot victory over the rest of a packed 195-man field.

Having netted category and gross prizes in recent weeks, John had already signalled that he was recapturing something like his best form.

Now, after turning in such a majestic display in one of the most prestigious fixtures in the County Armagh Golf Club calendar, he has identified himself as very much a golfer for the big occasion.

The then four-handicapper's sublime showing began with a tepid five at the 1st. However, a hat-trick of birdies at the 3rd, 6th and 7th and just one more dropped shot, at the 8th, saw him reach the turn in only 33 strokes.

Then followed an utterly flawless three-under-par back nine, in which another quick-fire Maguire birdie treble nestled nicely among six serene pars.

Uppermost among the myriad impressive aspects of John's Lonsdale masterclass are the fact that it arrived on a day of such stiff winds and his assured 4, 4, 4 denouement when many others would surely have lacked such composure.


The magnificent Lonsdale Cup is presented to winner John Maguire by Brian McCormack, representing sponsors Armagh City Hotel, and Club Captain Richard Stewart.