Rowlinson lifts his third island title

HE said he putted like a dog, but nevertheless he is Guernsey men's golf champion for a third time. In the space of 48 hours, David Rowlinson, Guernsey and CI champion in 1988 and again in 1998, beat both the Eggo brothers to take the title on the 36th and final green of an intriguing final.

On Friday evening he disposed of the top seed, Bobby Eggo, 1 up, and after a day's rest and contemplation, Rowlinson overcame a five-hole deficit after 14 holes to beat golf's nearly man, Andy Eggo, who has now lost three island finals, by the same score.

'I played really solid today. I think I shot the equivalent of two 71s, putting like a dog. To win like that is a measure of the way I'm playing.'

Rowlinson admitted he was a worried man when Eggo took advantage of the Royal man's putting woes to be five up on the home stretch of the morning round.

'I was playing well enough, but the putting was awful . . . the 14th was a shocker.

By lunch he had reduced the deficit to two and he finally edged in front with a birdie at the 14th, the 30th hole of the day.

He then proceeded to birdie the 15th for the sixth time of the championship week, only for Eggo to follow him in for three.

The next three holes were halved and Rowlinson, now 41, was celebrating.

In the semi-finals, the new champion had birdied the final four holes to put paid to the top seed's hopes for another year.

Again Rowlinson's putting was out of sorts until the very last hole.

Eggo, who had lost his ball at the 17th to go one down, looked odds-on to win the last when he hit his approach to around 5ft.

But Rowlinson, who had played a superb recovery shot to salvage a half at the 16th, canned his birdie putt from 25ft to claim the match.