JUNIOR INTER INSULAR - GUERNSEY LEAD 3-1 AFTER FIRST DAY
Guernsey brought the heat on a scorching hot day at La Moye for the first day of the junior inter insular.
Guernsey Junior Captain Rory McKenna had the honour and struck a solid tee shot just to the left of the first green. He was playing alongside Chloe Domaille against Ben Shield and Ben Carnegie-Bedlow. It was a close battle for much of the front nine. Chloe hit one of the best shots of day on the par three 12th, striking a beautiful iron in to ten feet and holing a rapid right to left downhill putt for birdie. Unfortunately Guernsey lost the next hole and started to lose momentum, Ben Shield was playing some superb golf to keep them at bay. Rory hit a colossal drive on the 16th but needed a birdie to stay in match which he just missed and that meant the greens had lost the first match 2&1.
In the second match Conor Mckenna and Tanner Austin took on Jersey junior champion Ryan Hafey and Iman Hamid-Wilkinson. Conor got off to a great start hitting his opening shot to eight feet and although he missed the putt, a three was good enough to go one up. He then birdied the 4th and the good golf continued with Tanner holing a 10 foot putt for eagle on the 6th. Conor was in superb form and after holing a 45 foot bomb on the 9th, Guernsey were in total control. The end was in sight and they duly closed out the match 5&4 to put the first points on the board for the greens.
In the third match Jayden Tucknott and Lewis Marley took on La Moye Ladies course record holder Annabelle Lucas-Villar and Oliver Allchin. The boys came flying out of the blocks and were simply unstoppable on the day. They were five up after 6 with Lewis rolling in a superb putt for eagle on the 6th. A further birdie followed from Lewis on the 9th and there was nothing Jersey could do to stop them. Jayden didn’t put a foot wrong and with the boys level par betterball the end came with a crushing 7&5 victory.
The final match saw Jamie Trebert partner James Troop against Nic Lawrenson and Oliver Allchin. After an unscheduled delay due to having to allow a club fourball match through between the matches, it was a nervy wait for the boys. Open Championship winner Jamie kept his cool and hit a wonderful tee shot to 15 to get off to a great start. The Guernsey boys were two up after three after an incredible up and down from James for par on the third. It then became something of a ding dong battle with the four trading holes. Into the back nine the Guernsey pair were down and then James dropped a monster 50 foot putt from off the green on 13 only for the boys to lose the next hole. The match was getting tense but the Guernsey team stayed in the moment, James was putting beautifully and Jamie was backing him up. The match then took a dramatic turn on the 16th. With Jersey in the hole for par, James then sank a beautiful putt for birdie and all of a sudden the greens were one up. On the 17th Jamie and Nic hit huge drives but were unable to capitalise. James found the green with a solid second and to his credit Nic Lawrenson made a fantastic par which he must have thought would have kept the game alive. Up stepped that man James again to sink another birdie putt and it was all over 2&1 for a brilliant and important win.
It was an excellent day for the young greens but it’s far from over and all to play for on day two
