Gary Middleton wins the Westmeath Intermediate Title

The Intermediate Championship was widely expected to be very competitive this year with at least 8 names being put forward as potential champions. Again like the Junior Championship, this lived up to all expectation with a phenomenal standard of scoring. The form player in Collinstown over the past month was undoubtedly, Gary Middleton, having shot 95, 95, 96, over the opening 3 weeks of the Player of the Year.  But even at that, very few expected what happened next!! Gary opened with an incredible score of 9 under par, 45. This gave him a 3 shot lead over Custume’s Sean Langdon after the opening 18 holes. The next best after that was a number of players on 51 so already there was a gap that it looked like only Sean Langdon could catch.

Gary was relentless though as he added a 47 second round to finish on 92 for 36 holes. Sean was still playing excellent Pitch & Putt and once again broke the 50 mark in his second round to shoot a 49 and leave himself on 97 total – 5 behind in second place. Lough Owel’s Declan Hogan was the next best on 100, while our own Martin Carter and Darren Reilly shared 4^th on 103. Special mention must go to Collinstown’s Paddy Browne – ever the battler, and comfortably making the cut on 105. The line up for the final round stood as follows:

Gary Middleton (Collinstown) 92
Sean Langdon (Lough Owel) 97
Declan Hogan (Lough Owel) 100
Martin Carter (Collinstown) 103
Darren Reilly (Collinstown) 103
Stephen Ruane (Collinstown) 104
David Reddin (Custume) 104
Paddy Browne (Collinstown) 105
Willie Ayres (Collinstown) 106
John Joyce (Custume) 106

Whatever chance the field had of catching Middleton was blown out the water in the opening 10 holes of the final round when the Collinstown man went 7 under for 10. He was never going to let it go from that position and he cruised home enjoying the moment with the realisation that he had won the Intermediate County title. Eventually Gary signed for a final round 48 to record an incredible 22 under total for the day. It has to be said that Sean Langdon never put a foot wrong all day and his final total of 15 under par, 147 would have won any other year in my opinion. Stephen Ruane had a fine 47 final round to finish third in the end.

Gary has made no secret of his ambition to go up through the ranks of the game and get to Senior as soon as possible and it has to be said that this is very refreshing to see this enthusiasm in someone to better themselves and to play at the very top level. Senior ranks are beckoning Gary – only 2 more shots to lose now!!

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