Mitchell refuses to slide away

IF ANYONE imagined junior Jack Mitchell would quietly slide out of the reckoning for golf's most prestigious strokeplay prizes, they should think again. Mitchell, 17, may have lost the lead in both the scratch and handicap sections of the Credit Suisse and UV Trophy event, now a 54-hole competition after Wednesday's gales, but he remains second in both.

The St Sampson's schoolboy, who is pressing for a place in the full island senior team, shot a four-over 75 gross, 73 net and is just one shot off the handicap lead now held by Ken Carre.

Mitchell went out late morning with the wind still blowing strongly, and should be satisfied with a gross score bettered by just two players all day - island stars Bobby Eggo and Steve Mahy.

The level of difficulty was also highlighted by the fact that just two players broke net 70.

Ave Thompson, another junior, shot a net 68 off his 13 handicap, while Jeremy Martel was just one shot back with a net 69 (75 gross).

Poor Paul Tostevin, who shared the first-round lead with Mitchell, slipped back dramatically after an 80.

Luke Blondel, like Mitchell a recent CI junior matchplay champion, shot a 71 to move up to third in the UV Trophy standings, just four shots behind Carre.

Any one of a dozen or more players could still list that trophy and they include Bobby Eggo, who has achieved the double before and is now two shots clear in his bid to regain the Credit Suisse off scratch.

Mitchell is his closest rival going into today's final round, but brother Andy is only six back and probably knows that is too much ground to make up.

Mahy is eight back and paying the price for a 77 on day one which included a quadruple-bogey eight on his first hole.

The L'Ancresse one-handicap said he had never played in worse conditions than on Tuesday. 'In my view they were unplayable.'

Out in 38, he came back in 33, which included an eagle at the 13th and birdies at the 16th and 18th.