Report by AGW Golf Captain, Peter Dixon.

The AGW’s ETIQUS Race to Liverpool for 2018 was given the perfect send-off last week with successive events over two days at St Andrews and Carnoustie, when we were generously allowed to ‘piggy-back’ R&A and European Tour media days for both the Senior Open and the Open Championship.

The first of the events, for the President’s Putter, was played over the Old Course in strong and testing winds, not that Neil McLeman, the eventual champion, seemed to notice.

Something Neil will never forget is a finishing stretch in which he picked up 12 stableford points with pars, for net birdies, at each of the last four holes. Playing off 21, he finished the day with an exceptional 38 points to claim his first AGW win.

Dave Facey tees off the last at the Old Course and on route to a share of second

Dave Facey tees off the last at the Old Course and on route to a share of second

In joint second place, with 33 points, were David Facey and Denis Kirwan.

Other points of note were the birdies achieved at the 18th by Dan Murphy, Mark Townsend and Iain Carter, although the most notable, given the conditions, was Derek Lawrenson’s birdie at the par three 11th.

Martin Dempster hitting out of a bunker at the 11th hole

Martin Dempster hitting out of a bunker at the 11th hole on the Old Course

As the captain, I have to apologise for my own calamitous efforts in the company of the R&A’s Mike Woodcock, who almost jumped out of his skin when I came sprinting past him (shouting, “Sorry Mike!”) as he was preparing to putt at the 1st.

I had seen the wind start to blow my trolley – which had been left by the 2nd tee – towards the Swilcan Burn. I swear the ghost of Old Tom Morris was pushing it because it got faster and faster before flying over the edge and into the burn. I’m sure I heard a chuckle, although perhaps it was just the wind.

The next day it was on to Carnoustie for the R & A Salver. This is a tough course regardless of the conditions, so to play it in winds that were even stronger than the previous days proved particularly challenging. Even so, it gave everybody a good chance to reacquaint themselves with the course and what awaits the world’s best players come The Open.

Neil McLeman tees off the 1st at Carnoustie as the new Presidents Putter champion.

Neil McLeman tees off the 1st at Carnoustie as the new Presidents Putter champion.

The Stableford scores were predictably low, with some players suggesting that a point on a hole often felt like an achievement.

In the end victory went to Fergus Bisset, playing off three, who came in with 29 points to beat Alex Miceli on a countback.

The win is also Fergus’s maiden AGW title while Alex went so close to becoming only one of a few Americans to capture an AGW trophy.

Nick Rodger, Peter Dixon and the R & As Clive Brown

Nick Rodger, Peter Dixon and the R & As Chairman of the Championship Committee, Clive Brown

A big thank you to the R & A, the European Tour, Gordon Simpson (Sportmate) and Carnoustie for their very special arrangements.

And a thank you also to all those, including Alex and Bernie McGuire who travelled from the States along with many of our Irish colleagues, in making the effort to be present in Scotland.

AGW Secretary getting into the spirit of the up-coming 147th Open

AGW Secretary getting into the spirit of the up-coming 147th Open

Footnote – Sadly a photographer’s error meant no photographs of our winners with the respective trophies.

  • More photographs from both media outings at Twitter: @AGWgolfwriters 

2018 AGW PRESIDENTS PUTTER – Old Course, St. Andrews, Scotland – Monday 23rd April

1st Neil McLeman (21 handicap) –  38 Stableford Points

2nd David Facey (15) , Denis Kirwan (14) – 33 points

4th  John Hopkins (17) , Derek Lawrenson (9),  Dan Murphy (3) –  32 points

7th Mark Townsend (7) , Fergus Bisset (3), Martin Dempster (11), Greg Allen (8) – 30 points

11th Colin Callander (6) – 29 points

12th  Dick Turner (15),  Euan McLean (12)  – 28 points

14th Andy Farrell (12) , Peter Finnan (5)  – 27 points

16th Peter Dixon (18),  Alex Miceli (10)  – 25 points

18th Iain Carter (7) – 22 points

19th  Martin Vousden (12),  Neil Squires (28) – 18 points.

21st Nick Rodger (18) – 17 points

22nd Bernie McGuire (16) – 15 points

No scorecard – John Huggan, Shane O’Donoghue

  • New AGW handicap – Neil McLeman – 19 

2018 AGW R & A SALVER – Carnoustie, Scotland – Tuesday 24th April

1st  Fergus Bisset – 29 Points (Count-back)

2nd  Alex Miceli –  29 points

3rd  Dan Murphy,  Shane O’Donoghue, Colin Callander – 28 points

6th Greg Allen –  27 points

7th Martin Dempster –  24 points

8th Dave Edwards , Dave Facey – 23 points

10th Rob Perkins, Mark Townsend, Neil McLeman – 22 points

13th Peter Dixon – 19 points.

14th Bernie McGuire – 17 points

15th Andy Farrell – 16 points

16th Martin Voudsen – 15 points

17th Nick Rodger – 12 points

18th Neil Squires – 11 points

19th Dick Turner – 6 points

Notable – Brian McLaughlin (AGW Supp’ Member)     29

  • New AGW Handicap – Fergus Bisset 2

 

(Updated 1st May, 2018)