Just one stroke, maybe a missed putt or a drive that went astray, was all that separated the first place Iroquois team from the second place Cedar Glen team at the 49th running of the Men’s Valley League Golf Competition, here Sunday.
The Iroquois team claimed the 2014 championship and the D. MacLennan Trophy with a 1,236 stroke total on their home turf. It was a slim, one stroke win over second place Cedar Glen at 1,237 strokes.
Summer Heights was third with 1,274 strokes, Morrisburg fourth at 1,285 and Sandy Row claimed the basement position with 1,427.
With the handicaps factored in, Summer Heights earned the low net team win to claim the Comrie-Blakely Trophy.
The top shooter in the tournament, and the winner of the Millard Trophy for low gross in A flight, was Cedar Glen’s Kurtis Barkley with a three-under-par 69.
It was the second consecutive win for Barkley who shot the low gross (one-under-par 71) at last year’s Valley League played in Sandy Row and won by Summer Heights.
Cedar Glen finished second in that one too.
This time out, Barkley had another solid round turning the corner with an even par 37. His only blemish was on the par three 175 yard, par three fourth hole which he double bogeyed. He fought back with birdies on five and eight for the even par 37.
On the back, he turned it up a notch and went three under with birdies on 10, 12 and 14.
The Iroquois team had an incredibly strong effort from their A flight players as they worked their way to the team championship.
Just five players in the field of 70, broke the 80 barrier and three of them were playing in the Iroquois team’s A flight.
They were Mike Tobin with a 74, Les Gilmour with a 75 and Paul McCaslin with a 79.
Barkley posted his 69 and Morrisburg’s Matt O’Neil carded a 79.
Also contributing to the strong Iroquois A flight results was Shawn Lapier who posted an 81.
Chipping in for the Iroquois victory in B flight were Nick McCaslin 86, Don Poland 88, Kent McDermid 89 and Maurice Kolff with a 91.
The Iroquois C flight players were Les Craig with a 96, Ed Orlicky 97, Rick MacKenzie 100 and Ross Ferguson 104. Chris Barkley shot an 87 in the senior position, and due to a no show for the junior golfer, David Cherry’s score of 89 counted.
In the individual awards, the low gross shooter and winner of the Sports Unlimited B flight trophy was Peter Hurrell of Summer Heights with an 82.
Summers Heights’ Gerry Sabourin shot a 92 for the win in C flight and the Summer Heights Fun Night trophy.
Cedar Glen took over in the senior and junior categories with Rick Barkley winning senior with an 81, and Liam Morrow winning junior, also with an 81.
Barkley was presented the T. Parker Trophy and Morrow the Highlands Trophy.
The Julien low net A flight trophy went to Mike Tobin of Iroquois whose 74 gave him a 68 net, while Jim Mooney (Summer Heights) won B low net and the Cedar Glen Trophy shooting a 95 for a 68 net. The winner of the Lorne Barkley Memorial C net trophy was Kevin Barkley of Sandy Row who shot a 98 for a 71 net.
The tournament also includes club captain and president categories, although their scores do not count in the team total. Both are recognized using their net scores.
Andy Patenaude of Morrisburg won the Fader Trophy (low net president) with a 91 score for a 72 net, and Danny Youmelle, also of Morrisburg shot a 102 for a 74 net to win the Hugh Hutchison Memorial trophy in the club captain play.
Top shooters for Cedar Glen were Barkley in A flight, Larry Harper with an 87 in B flight and Dale Whitteker in C flight with a 96.
Top shooters for Summer Heights were Bob Johnson with an 80 in A flight, Hurrell with an 82 in B and Gerry Sabourin with a 92 in C. Senior Roger Leduc shot a 92 and junior Alex Menard a 96.
Matt O’Neill led Morrisburg with a 79 in A flight, Kirk Barkley shot an 87 in B and Doug Warner was low in C with a 101. Lee Beaupre senior shot an 84 and Jordan St. Louis, junior also shot an 84.
Bill Hogaboam and Shane Vahey shots 90’s to lead the Sandy Row a flight, while Greg Chamberlain shot a 96 in B and Kevin Barkley a 98 in C.
Next year the men’s Valley League will celebrate its 50th anniversary. The tournament will be played at Summer Heights.
The first Valley League was played at Summer Heights with teams from Brockville Highlands, Iroquois, Morrisburg and Summer Heights competing. The Summer Heights team was the first to have their club name engraved on the McLennan Trophy.
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