Corbet makes seniors history

ROY CORBET is the first winner of the Senior Island Championship for the over-55s. The L'Ancresse stalwart came through a 36 holes qualifier then won his respective semi-final and the final matchplay contests on the final green to claim the coveted title.

Corbet led the qualifying round by five shots and met fellow L'Ancresse member Richard Vaudin in a semi-final two days later.

With handicaps forgotten Vaudin did all he could in an attempt to fend off Corbet in the scratch format and despite shooting what would have been a converted 74 gross Corbet still managed to edge the match one up on the final green.

The other semi-final was an even closer contest and in the all-Royal Guernsey affair Pat McKeary was made to go the full distance and more against Craig Alexander.

McKeary closed a dormy two down position and then took the match at the second play-off hole.

In the 18-hole final McKeary and Corbet fought a ding-dong battle with both players finding spates of inspirational form.

Corbet made the first charge finding birdies at the first and second holes to take an early two-up lead.

McKeary, however, fought back and by the turn had remarkably turned the deficit around into a three-up advantage.

Corbet rallied by winning the next four holes to go one-up with five to play.

The next four holes were halved in par and at the short last McKeary could not find the necessary birdie to force another play-off.

Corbet's fifth par in a row for a one-under par back nine was good enough for the championship.