The McDowell Anti-Cancer Trophy concludes a series of successful charity based competitions held at Ramsey Golf Club.
With a large turn-out in good conditions the scoring was always going to blistering and indeed it was, with a knife edge finish right to the end. 40 points was the absolute minimum to be in contention on Sunday and Steve Rundle continued his form, despite a disastrous start, with a steady round and birdies on the 8th and again on the 10th. A wobble on the 15th with a double bogey proved expensive but a creditable 6th place on 40 was a good day’s work for Steve who will continue to improve. Ever present and usually consistent, Nigel Kermode had a great start with a 4 on the first with the pin in a tricky opening position followed by another birdie on the 4th and seemed settled and ready to grind out a good score. No return on the 6th undid all the previous good work followed by another double bogey on the 9th and again on the 10th. Consistency is in his blood and he managed to focus on the job in hand with two quick birdies to get back on track on the par 5, 11th and the always tricky par 3, 12th. Alas, the gremlins returned with two shots dropped on the 14th only to be grabbed back with a birdie on the index 1, 15th. When you think he scored 40 points with a further two shots dropped on the closing holes it was a case of what could it have been for Nigel. Keith Ward was always going to take this day in his stride and produced a stellar display of great golf. Birdies on the 6th, 10th and 11th are what you come to expect from Keith and it was only dropped shots on the 12th and 13th that spoiled the day and a score of 41 points. Conor Grant’s birdie on the 14th put him into contention with an otherwise steady round. The 18th proved to be his undoing and a dropped shot there and 42 points was enough for 3rd place. The top spots were battled out by contrasting players. The experience of Steve Porter verses the youth and power of the up and coming Ramsey Ball. After 6 weeks of full time golf Ramsey was always going to post a great score and on this day he delivered mercilessly but Steve pushed him all the way. Steve opened with a great birdie on the 2nd but Ramsey matched him with a two on the 3rd, always a difficult green in dry conditions. Steve got straight back into the lead with another birdie on the 4th. Ramsey failed to score on the 5th and had to wait until the 7th to redress the balance; a 3 on this hole is always impressive and crucially Steve dropped two shots there. Ramsey followed it up with another birdie on the 8th to sneak into the lead at the turn. Steve steadied the ship over the back 9 but had to wait until the 16th for another birdie. Ramsey tightened his grip on the trophy with a birdie on the 14th and finished in par form. Steve had to do the same to win but a 4 on the 17th saw it slip away. A terrific battle and one which Ramsey will treasure for some time to come. He has the Club Championships next weekend and will feature if he can keep his nerve. With Jamie Arniel, obvious favourite, but with indifferent form the championships may well be quite an open affair with the Ward brothers and possibly Dave Murray in the mix.
Photo - Ramsey Ball.
