Top seeds home in on first championship clash

VERONICA BOUGOURD and Jan Chamberlain have never clashed in the island championships but the top two seeds are just one more victory away from that first meeting. There was no Bougourd, 16 times the island champion, to contend with when Chamberlain landed the championship in 2003, but the indications are that their long-awaited first clash will happen Friday in the 36 holes final.

But for that to happen Chamberlain needs to overcome Gill Burford and Bougourd get past Julie Creed in tomorrow's semis over 18 holes.

A back injury kept Bougourd out of last year's event but she appears back to her best after a crushing win over Elaine Ward and yesterday's 3 and 2 victory over Di Aitchison, who said she could not have played better, but still found it was not quite enough.

Apart from the 15th hole when both were out of sorts, the two were scoring well all morning and as they analysed their round beside the 16th green where the match had finished moments earlier, Aitchison reckoned she had played the front nine in 37 to her opponent's 36.

A highlight was Bougourd's two at the 12th.

Chamberlain overcame Sue Wellfair 6 and 5, while Burford ended the run of La Grande Mare's Yvonne Zietsman, 4 and 3.

Creed was taken up the 17th by a determined Joan Bichard but the third seed eventually held sway.

The tightest of the bronze division clashes saw Pippa Hudson beat Claire Giles at the 19th, but in contrast top seed Rose Scott eased past Lynne Coutanche 7 and 6.

The other two quarter-finals were won by Heidi Lawlor and Claire Le Page.