Woodhard regains cup 19 years on

JULIAN WOODHARD won the Swinburne Cup 19 years after he previously won the Royal Guernsey's top matchplay event and then said: 'It's just nice to get back into the groove.' Woodhard defeated Michel Davy 4 and 3 yesterday after a fine display in breezy conditions.

'I had only one bad hole - the fourth,' said the new champion, who had beaten Mark Loveridge 6 and 4 in Friday's remaining semi-final and provided himself with the perfect fillip ahead of this week's Deutsche Bank Offshore Guernsey Champ-ionships. He plays Mike Hamon in this evening's first round.

Woodhard, who has seen his handicap slip to five in recent years and eyes a return to island colours now he is once again playing regularly, benefited from receiving two strokes from his three-handicap opponent.

One up at the turn Woodhard birdied the 10th to double his advantage and then claimed the 11th with a four, net three.

There was no way back for Davy.

Woodhard had a birdie chance at both 13 and 14 and was looking good for a three when Davy conceded on the 15th where he had pulled his drive into the rough and had still yet to find the green when he duffed his fourth.

Six-handicap Dave Platt won the first golf competition of his career when he produced an outstanding round to lay claim to the L'Ancresse Golf Club's Centenary Trophy.

Platt's net 65 in strong winds gave him victory by a single shot from Tony Le Page.

On a day when 42 players - nearly the third of the field - ripped up in the tricky conditions, just six broke net 70.

Conditions were no easier at La Moye in Jersey where the Guernsey Junior Club lost 2-1 to the home team in the Hampshire Greenjackets competition.