LESTER MAKES LIGHT OF BUMBLEBEE TESTER

County Armagh Golf Club was a hive of activity on 6 May as a season-high 188 golfers swarmed to the course to contest the Bumblebee Cup, sponsored by the city's Victoria Bar.

The bee's knees in this stroke competition was Christopher Lester, who had every reason to wax lyrical about a stunning nett 62 that saw him grab the Saturday glory.

Lester was no doubt buzzing as he registered pars at the 2nd, 5th and 7th on his way to a halfway tally of 41 strokes, which four under his handicap. No one would have blamed Christopher, though, had his mood turned decidedly waspish after back-to-back bogeys at the 10th and 11th checked his progress and threatened to put a bee in his prizewinning bonnet.

However, there was to be no nasty sting in the tail as Lester rallied brilliantly thereafter, posting three pars in the remaining seven holes, including a nerveless four at the last. His birdie at the 14th was as sweet as honey and represented the ultimate highlight of a tremendous day's work. A worthy recipient of the Bumblebee Cup, Christopher's handicap has been slashed from 22 to 19, and one can predict with some confidence that that number will tumble further as the year progresses.

Christopher Lester receives the Bumblebee Cup from Nicky Currie, proprietor of Victoria Bar, Armagh. Also pictured are Club Captain Richard Stewart and Shea Smyth, competition runner-up.