Ian Kernohan Wins the Agnew Cup at Ballymena Golf Club

Ian Kernohan (32) won the Agnew Cup at Ballymena Golf Club with a superb net 63.

Playing in breezy conditions, Kernohan got off to a steady start, picking up shots at the first and third holes and playing the second, fourth and fifth to handicap. Kernohan lost his advantage with an eight on the sixth hole but made immediate amends with a birdie two on the short par-three seventh.

The eighth hole was played to his handicap, and he finished his front nine by bogeying the par-five ninth to leave him three shots ahead at the halfway point.

The back nine got off to a great start with a par on the tenth, although he gave one shot back on the long par-four eleventh before playing the difficult twelfth to handicap. Kernohan then gained another shot on the thirteenth with a par before playing the next two holes to handicap.

A bogey on the sixteenth gained Kernohan a further shot, and he finished the round steadily, playing the seventeenth and eighteenth to his handicap to finish five shots ahead and win the Agnew Cup.

Second place went to Jim Munn (18), who finished one shot back on a net 64.

Munn started steadily, playing the first three holes to handicap before picking up a shot at the par-three fourth. Unfortunately, he gave this shot back immediately on the fifth but then bogeyed the sixth, parred the seventh and birdied the eighth before closing his front nine with a bogey on the par-five ninth.

This left him six over gross at the halfway point and three ahead of his allowance.

The back nine was very steady, with every hole played to his handicap except the difficult twelfth, where he picked up a shot to finish four ahead on net 64 and in second place after the countback.

Ciaran Corbett (9) had a good day, recording the third-best net score, winning the gross prize with a 73 and picking a couple of overripe plums along the way.

Ably assisted by his underappreciated playing partner, Corbett started with a bogey on the first, parred the second and bogeyed the third before playing the next six holes in three under gross, with his birdies coming on the fifth, eighth and ninth holes.

This left him one under gross for the front nine, although he reacted badly to being replaced as Captain and started his back nine badly with four consecutive bogeys.

A par on the long par-four fourteenth was followed by a bogey on the fifteenth and a double bogey on the par-three sixteenth before he finished well with a good par on the seventeenth and a superb birdie on the closing hole.

Corbett finished five over gross with a net 64. It was a superb round from the trending player and one which could have been several shots lower, bar some unlucky breaks, including the initial ball toss.

The remaining net prizes went to David Chambers (21) 65, Alastair Martin (23) 65, Alistair Gilmore (15) 66, William Montgomery (24) 66 and James Allan (21) 66.

Richard Mark was runner-up in the gross section, one shot back on 74, after a level-par front nine which included a birdie on the par-five third. However, a six-over back nine ultimately cost him a higher finish.

There were twenty-two twos recorded by the one hundred and forty-five competitors, with Tommy Surgenor the only player to secure two. These came at the fourth and seventh holes, providing a timely reminder to the Slemish Tavern team selectors ahead of the annual fixture against the Pasadena Golf Society, which takes place next week.

The annual set-to promises to be a closely contested affair, with Pasadena seeking revenge for a pasting last year which gave the Slemish Tavern their first outright win and bragging rights for the year, which they definitely utilised.

Running alongside this fixture is a Club Sweep, which will be played in the Stableford format.