New MMI faces repeat the trick

One day last week, when the trophy was taken away from the MMI boardroom, its home for the past 12 months, the four men representing the stockbroking firm in this year's national final of The Irish Times/Lexus Corporate Challenge made a resolution that its parting wouldn't be permanent.

So, there was an uncanny sense of deja vu in Mount Juliet last Saturday. And MMI, who had only scraped into the final as the last of the 12 qualifiers, responded to the big occasion, again, to retain the trophy.

Mark Hensey, Ger O'Brien, Mick Denvir and Brian Horgan compiled a score of 85 points - on a course playing long after heavy overnight rain - to beat Freaney Moore, an independent firm of chartered accountants based in Mullingar, into the runners-up position.

Intriguingly, MMI managed to win the title with a much-changed team. Of the quartet, Denvir was the only one who had featured last year - yet the three newcomers showed they also possessed the desired temperament and, vitally important in such an event, dove-tailed quite superbly.

MMI eventually had two points to spare over Freaney Moore, on 83, with Irish Permanent, on 81 points, edging out Frank Keane Holdings for third place on countback. Indeed, the back nine proved crucial in determining victory. After the outward journey, Freaney Moore, with 42 points, were the leaders (one ahead of AIB and two clear of MMI and Frank Keane), but MMI's 45 points on the homeward stretch enabled them to leapfrog everyone.

The vibes had been good for the team heading into the final. The previous Sunday, Denvir won the captain's prize at his club, The European, and on Monday, MMI also won the team prize in Philip Walton's charity outing in the Legends Society.

But the hand of fate didn't go amiss either in enabling MMI to claim this coveted Irish Times Lexus trophy again.

For instance, Denvir had two chip-in birdies in his round. At the 384-yard par four, index one, his seven-iron approach finished up on the edge of the green and he chipped in. Indeed, the fourth was especially kind to MMI, as O'Brien, a member of Westmanstown, also recorded a birdie there, hitting a nine-iron approach to three feet and sinking the putt. That gave MMI an invaluable eight points haul from the hole. Conversely, Freaney Moore managed just three points at the fourth hole.

Denvir's other chip-in birdie came at the 16th, where he hit a three-iron approach to the edge of the green and, again, didn't need to reach for his putter. "After that, we knew a solid finish over the last two holes would see us win," remarked Hensey, a member of Royal Dublin. In fact, the winners took four points at both the 17th and 18th which was sufficient to see them safely home.

In all, Denvir, a seven handicapper, had four priceless birdies, his others coming at the 10th and 11th holes. At the 11th, he hit a nine-iron to a mere 12 inches - but the award for nearest the pin was at the 14th. Ironically, it was his team-mate Horgan who picked up the additional prize when the Mallow man's five-iron finished six feet from the cup.

Given that seven different players in the two years have represented MMI (who sponsor Padraig Harrington on the European Tour), there is certainly no shortage of golfing talent in the office. As such, the achievement of Freaney Moore in finishing runners-up was quite exceptional. The accountancy firm employs 35 people, of whom only four play golf. So Tom Byrne, Michael McGrath, Martin Swarbrigg and Frank Daly were on duty in this prestige competition and performed admirably to take second place.

Although Freaney Moore's quartet played very solid golf, the absence of birdies proved their weakness. In fact, Byrne was the only player to birdie a hole, hitting a five wood teeshot to four feet at the sixth.

Meanwhile, Irish Permanent (represented by Noel Grier, Shane Maher, Eddie Maher and Ray McAufield) finished strongly, with a back nine of 42 points, to pip Frank Keane for third on countback.