Cussen takes Federation title in BallyB

KILLARNEY’S 2011 Captain Pat Cussen (6) took the Federation of Kerry Golf Clubs Past Captains Prize at Ballybunion’s old course on Saturday last with a superb 40 points representing a gross round of 73, that included five birdies in the testing conditions.

The course, which, is looking like a desert in places, has been starved of rain water for several weeks and offered up a true test of links golf with the ball running hard and fast in the firm conditions with more than 100 past and present captains taking part for Federation Captain John Fox’s magnificent prize of a framed painting of Ballybunion’s fabled 11th hole.

In second place was Dooks 1994 Captain Gene Aherne (13) with 38pts followed by Listowel’s 2009 Captain Brendan Stack (13) who was third with 38pts also.

Former Irish International and Captain of Killarney in 2006 Paul Murphy (5) took the best gross with 32 pts while Castlegregory’s George Nash won the Past Captains of the Federation Prize with 32 points.

There were also prizes for the Captains of each decade and they went to: 1970s: Declan Lovett (13) Ballybunion 1976 - 34 pts; 1980s: Denis Reen (14) Tralee 1982 - 29pts 1990: John Fox (17) Ballybunion 1994 - 33pts 2000s: John Leen (18) Ballyheigue 2005 - 34pts 2010s: Padraig Burns (12) Parknasilla 2016 - 38pts