DECLAN DOWNS OPEN RIVALS

The Open Stroke competition that kicked off County Armagh Golf Club's Open Week on 4 August was sponsored by Daly Motor Spares, and Declan McReynolds's golfing engine was purring as he cruised to a superb winning score of nett 64.

Declan had served notice to his fellow competitors that he was a man in form with a nett 67 that clinched category 1 victory in the previous weekend's July Medal. This time out, he reached the halfway point through a composed front nine of five pars and four bogeys. Even better would follow immediately thereafter, as birdies at the 11th and 12th were buffered on either side by momentum-maintaining pars at the 10th and 13th.

A slightly ragged 6, 5 climax came after two more pars at the 15th and 16th, but it all amounted to a marvellous six-over-par outing that granted McReynolds Snr a new handicap of 11 as well as tournament glory.

Peter Daly of Daly Motor Spares, sponsors of the Open Stroke event at County Armagh Golf Club, presents the winner, Declan McReynolds, with his prize. Also pictured are Club Captain, Colm Shannon, and fourth-placed Paul Pender.

The three slots immediately below Declan on the Saturday leaderboard were filled respectively by the alliterative triumvirate of Ciaran Conroy, Stewart Stevenson and Paul Pender.