Dungannon’s Dwayne wins Strabane Scratch Cup

DUNGANNON’S Dwayne Mallon won the Frylite Senior Scratch Cup at Strabane for the first time.

The 34-year-old produced a stunning two-under-par first round before following that up with a two-over-par second to win by four shots from Armagh’s Joe Rooney, who recorded the same total as Ryan McNelis’s 142 which was enough for victory 12 months previously. Rosapenna’s Enda Kennedy finished third on a combined 143 or five-over-par.

Having finished second at the Ian Bamford Scratch Trophy at Royal Portrush and at the Rosapenna Scratch Cup earlier this season, Mallon was delighted to hold his nerve after a testing second 18-holes that started and finished badly before he showed his mettle with a perfectly played final hole.

“I played well, I’m happy enough,” he said. “I won by four in the end, so happy days because I’ve been so close at times this year. It was nice to get one over the line.

“I got off to a bit of a poor start [on the second round]. I snap-hooked one OB on the first, took a double [bogey] and I was three over after five.

“I then made three birdies coming back in but then made double [bogey] on 17 – out of nowhere I was blocked out right and I had to chip one out left but I hit the last tree and it bounced 40 yards back underneath a holly bush!

“But I ripped [a drive] up 18 and actually got the longest drive too and hit my second into literally a foot and birdied the last to win by four!

“I put a bit of pressure on myself, but I always do that!”

As well as Mallon’s, Rooney’s and Kennedy’s impressive performances on the day, there were also notable performances from several leading players: Peter Doherty, Patrick Kennedy, and Phillip Kelly, who all returned excellent scores, keeping the competition tight and entertaining throughout the day.

And Strabane’s own Barry Patterson produced a superb round to win the nett prize with a 134 return, pipping clubmates, Gary Henderson by two, Conor Sharkey by three, Terry Conroy by five and Frankie Gallagher by six.

Others to excel on the day were Conal Cooke, Michael Shiel, Aidan Boyle and Sean Og McGranaghan, who were first round gross, second round gross, first round nett and second round nett prizewinners

Meanwhile, Dwayne’s golfing talents can also be seen from the comfort of your own living room as he has starred in a couple of collaborations with local YouTube golf star, Timmy Jordan.

The pair’s first full-length video on the website at County Armagh Golf Club sees one of the most stunning back nine’s ever filmed and their most recent effort from Killeen Castle Golf Club was uploaded on Friday night and is also worth a watch.