Blown off course at the first

IF ATTEMPTING to win the Challenge Trophy on Jersey soil for the first time in 24 years wasn't daunting enough, then a strong wind blowing into and off the left on the very first tee certainly was. Guests have the honour on the first tee and in the top fourball match and kick-starting the weekend's feast of golf were Nigel Vaudin and David Warr.

Vaudin, first off, did what nature was waiting to punish and all the players feared the worse. A slightly open club face on impact would see the ball sail out onto the beach.

The good news was Warr made an excellent birdie four to halve the hole with Christy Mclaughlin and James Birch and the visitors were safely on their way to a hard-fought one up victory.

But that was just about as good as it got for Steve Turvey's men who lost the remaining fourballs, were edged out in the foursomes and overwhelmed in the singles for a heavy 16-4 defeat.

It could have been worse.

It was only to the great misfortune of Jersey stalwart Trevor Gray that Guernsey got two points from the five available from the foursomes.

For the alternative shot section, it was mostly all change in the Guernsey pairings, while the home side stuck with their winning formula.

In the lead match Andy Eggo and Steve Mahy were up against the Ramskills and the L'Ancresse pairing took an early lead.

But from the fifth hole they would lose four of the following five.

Mahy failed to capitalise on a chance to return the match to just one down at the 13th and his frustration at missing the short putt was compounded at the next when Richard Ramskill sunk a 30ft right-to-left putt across the green to take a three-up lead with only four to play. There was no way back for the Sarnians.

Behind, the master and young prodigy coupling of Bobby Eggo and Jack Mitchell were again together.

Despite being solid off the tee, Mitchell still could not adapt to the quick putting surface and the pair would lose several holes to Birch and Mclaughlin on and around the slick greens.

Guernsey champion David Rowlinson and Daniel Bisson were put together and played much better than the 6 and 5 losing scoreline suggests.

Gavin O'Neill was probably the pick of the Jersey bunch all weekend and with the big-hitting Matthew Parkman at his side they made birdies with great regularity before ending the match on the 13th.

'O'Neill's chipping was awesome; he left five or six in a row stiff. It looked like he wanted to hole everything,' said Rowlinson.

With the assistance of fellow Royal Guernsey member David Nicolle, Vaudin maintained his 100 per cent start to the weekend as they saw off Richard Alker and Andy Clarke 4 and 2, leaving only one match out on the course.

With one hole remaining Marley and Warr stood all-square with Gray and CI matchplay champion Le Chevalier.

Gray was on the tee, driver in hand, while his son and caddie, Andrew, had made the short journey from the 17th green to the left rough just short of the 18th putting surface where a crowd of 30 players and spectators had gathered.

Gray teed off hoping to reach the green, which sat just over 300 yards away.

His ball hooked ever so slightly left, the shout of fore went up and as the crowd parted for cover, the ball bounded towards Gray's bag.

Despite the diving efforts of Andrew he could not prevent the ball hitting the wheel of the golf trolley. Game over.

In matchplay, if a ball hits your caddy or equipment, it is loss of hole and Guernsey were gifted a point.

Gray junior was left praying that the infringement would not be costly come the afternoon, but he had no need to worry.

First out in the singles was Rowlinson who could only watch as Mclaughlin opened with four threes in the opening four holes which included two eagles.

It didn't get much better for Rowlinson or his fellow team mates.

As the groups went through the first nine holes, Guernsey were up in one, all-square in another and down in the remaining eight rubbers.

It was not all doom and gloom as there were a few good shots being played by the visitors.

Mitchell's 60-yard chip from the short side to within a foot at the tucked away ninth pin was worth turning up to witness, as was Bobby Eggo's performance against Richard Ramskill.

Eggo's 7 and 6 drubbing of the La Moye player ensured that at least one of the Ramskills would be leaving with a defeat to his name.

Meanwhile, dad Geoff completed his memorable debut with a 4 and 3 win over a now injured Mahy.

Also hitting top form for Terry Smith's Jersey side were O'Neill, who ventured past the 13th green only once all weekend, and Parkman, who took advantage of Andy Eggo finding the bunker at the last to add a one up singles victory to his previous two wins.

Vaudin's quest for a maximum points return ended on the 15th green, having been left in Le Chevalier's wake for the latter part of the round.

Bringing up the rear, Warr lost to old adversary Gray for only the second time in inter-insular singles, thus ending a miserable weekend for the visitors.