Nicolle puts Le Noury out at first extra hole

FIVE current or former island champions are through to the last 16 of the 2004 Deutsche Bank Offshore island championship, as is arguably one of the best modern-day players never to have won it. David Nicolle went closest to taking the title a decade ago when, as a 29-year-old, he lost in the final to Nigel Vaudin.

Last night he scraped past another former champion, Nigel Le Noury, on the first extra hole and this evening plays Mike Hamon for most probably a quarter-final clash with the top seed, Bobby Eggo.

He said the key to his game at present was his putting.

'I'm pleased with my long game, but you couldn't print what I think about my putting,' he said shortly after sinking a seven-footer for a birdie three at the 19th.

It was one of the few putts he holed in an otherwise very solid performance. Le Noury, in truth, had been holding on for some time before Nicolle finally put him out of the tournament.

One up at the turn, Nicolle had good opportunities on most of the back nine.

He had already doubled his advantage when at the short 12th he missed his short putt for par and Le Noury, 15 yards off the green off the tee, scrambled a half.

Remarkably, he got another half at the 13th where he smashed his drive deep into gorse and was forced to take a drop on a path cutting through the undergrowth to the right of the fairway.

A superb eight-iron to the back of the green gave him a chance and with Nicolle failing to get his four from the back of the green, the big man salvaged the hole.

At the 529-yard 14th Nicolle missed from 15ft for a winning four and Le Noury escaped again, before at the 15th the latter levelled the tie with a superb three.

Nicolle's frustration was not showing off the tee-box and at the 16th, with the breeze in his favour, he left his drive on the front fringe. He chipped to three feet and sank the putt to go one up. But it was only a brief escape from his putting misery.

At the 17th he chipped immaculately from rough to seven feet and with Le Noury holing his long putt for birdie, left his putt short: all-square again.

The last saw both on the left flank of the green, Nicolle just on, Le Noury just off.

The pair got their threes and it was off down the first again where Nicolle hit his second pin high and rammed in the putt.

Another tight game featured the big-hitting Dannys - Blondel and Bisson - with brothers Ray and Peter Blondel on the bags.

The two Dannys smash the ball a mile but ultimately his ability to hit long distances cost Bisson.

One down through 15, Bisson went for the green at both 16 and 17 and each time found trouble.

A superb escape and long putt from the fringe rescued him a half in four at the 16th, but there was no miracles at the 17th.

His drive found the long rough adjacent to the green and his first hack moved the ball forward only into lighter rough. A fine chip to five feet gave him hope of a half in fours, but his putt lipped out and so was he.

Neither Eggo brother had any problems at opposite ends of the draw.

Bobby swept past Craig Allen 6 and 4, while Andy somewhat surprisingly cruised through 6 and 5 against John Le Lievre.

'I thought it would be a difficult game,' admitted the second seed afterwards.

Nor did he have to play particularly well: 'I was just plodding around really. It was just one of those games when par was often enough.'

Defending champion Mick Marley beat the 16-year-old youngster Shaun Mills 6 and 5, while along with his cousin Danny, Luke Blondel kept the flag flying for the youngsters, with a 3 and 2 win over La Grande Mare's Roland Mills.