Celtic? Rangers? No, Gary won the Old Firm match       

By Stevie Gallacher GOLFERS like Tiger Woods and Colin Montgomerie regularly putt for millions of pounds of prize money, although usually to line their own pockets. Gary Cardwell had a much harder job — he was playing to win money for our Children’s Hospice Appeal! The big-hearted 42-year-old from Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, won the £750 pot at the Ferrymill Challenge Shield Trophy, played at Milngavie Golf Course’s Esporta Complex, and pledged the money to Robin House. It was all the sweeter for Rangers fan Gary, as he won the trophy from former Celtic striker Dixie Deans!

Gary proudly shows off his trophy.

Gary said, “It has been a great time for me of late. My team beat Celtic in the CIS Cup and I won the trophy from a former Celtic star. “Seriously though, it was a great day and the craic was brilliant.” The charity tournament last month was a four-ball between seven teams. Each had a former Old Firm legend in their group and Gary’s side had hard man Tom Forsyth, the ex-Rangers defender. Tournament organisers Ferrymill Motors also invited representatives from their business customers, including Gary. Gary said, “We had a great day. All the Old Firm players were winding each other up and it was fantastic to be on the course with them. “Pat McCluskey, Bobby Lennox, Stevie Chalmers and Joe McBride were all there. Big Tom Forsyth lived up to his stature — he’s a big guy with a big personality. He was a hard guy back when he was playing and he can fairly whack a ball too!  “I beat one of the guys I work with, so that made my day all the better. He’s obviously getting a lot of stick for it! “When I went up to putt the last ball, I knew I had a good score on my card. I didn’t know how good, but I didn’t let the tension get to me. At the end of the round I was one under par, which was the top score. It was very close. Upsetting “CHAS is a cause I’m interested in, along with other charities. I didn’t actually know who I was going to pledge the money to before I’d won. It was only when they asked me what my charity would be that I thought of CHAS. “When I heard about Robin House and the Children’s Hospice Appeal I thought it was an emotionally upsetting thing. I’ve two kids, so it’s a cause that affected me deeply. Rachel House is actually a very positive place. The staff work very hard.” Gary works as a business director at Alexander Dennis, an international bus-manufacturing firm, which has premises in Falkirk. He’s a keen golfer. Gary said, “I love golf but I don’t get to play as much as I used to.  “I live in Carrickfergus and I commute back there every weekend. I try to get a game in there every so often, but I don’t have a lot of time with work commitments.” Next

You can e-mail us at: hospice@sundaypost.com