Not
one of the closer years for the trophy as Peter pulled away during the
week to take a 19-point lead into the final and win by 23 shots. Nicholas
has to make up nine shots on the last round to make third place and puts
in a remarkable 41 points. However, David shoots a 38, which leaves Nicholas
six shots behind, and means that David ties with Richard for second place.
The play-off fight for the Welsh mug was high-quality golf. Both start
4, 4, 4, followed by a pair of 6s on the par 5 fourth. The battle finally
ends as Richard concedes on the fifth extra hole.
Scores of 41,
40, and 38 by Nicholas, Peter and David in the final round put Richard,
who had been leading the Fionn MacCool and Wooden Chap since round 2, under
severe pressure. With three holes to play, David stands at only 9 over
par and can afford to drop three more to level the stableford prize and
win the Wooden Chap; he drops 7 shots over the last three holes. Playing
behind him, Peter is also nine over par after 14 and can afford to drop
another 2 shots to win the Wooden Chap; even if he drops 6 he will win
the Fionn MacCool. Peter drops nine shots on the last four, leaving a stunned
Richard holding both trophies.
The newly introduced
Par 3 stableford prize (Hologram Man) looked safe with Peter going into
the last round with a six point lead, but only an excellent 11 points on
the last round protect Peter from a par 3 onslaught of 14 points by Nicholas
who finishes second. The Dunlop ‘65, for so long considered as an entitlement
by David goes on countback to Peter as David loses three balls on the final
round to Peter’s one, while only one less ball lost by Nicholas would have
meant a three-way tie. The countback is however down to the last hole on
which a ball is lost: Peter loses his on the 15th, and David the 16th!
Revenge for Peter from a countback loss to David in Wales in 1996!
A quieter year
than usual for the Celtic Cross (reflecting the advancing years?) with
David winning by 6.5 points having led through most of the week. Exceptionally
David even carried off second place in one of the darts games and reversed
a losing first round in ten pin bowling (88) to win with a remarkable 164.
