He hit the first shot of the day, and had the last word that night at the prize-giving ceremony.

Seven handicapper Gerry Coyle, from North West, fired the opening shot at 8.30 a.m. on Saturday morning as the 102 competitors in the North Western Alliance began to compete for honours in Liam Doherty's Captain's Day at Ballyliffin.

And Coyle's score of 72 was never to be beaten by any of the 101 competitors who were to follow him off the first tee.

Meanwhile, the captain himself maintained a strong tradition, in the event winning the gross prize with 78. Over the years, it has not been unheard of for the captain to figure in the prize giving and by all accounts four handicapper Liam wasn't one bit embarrassed as his score was two better than City of Derry's Stephen McKeegan (2).

Taking the honours in the nett category was 10-handicapper James Fleming, playing on his own course, to shoot 74, one better than his clubmate John D O'Kane (11), with Odran McGettigan, an 18-handicapper from Ballybofey & Stranorlar, third with 75.