Guernsey Press

Mahy-Marley meet early

IN A match surely befitting the final of the first major of the domestic season, island team-mates Steve Mahy and Mick Marley have drawn each other in the first round of the Henderson Cup matchplay.

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IN A match surely befitting the final of the first major of the domestic season, island team-mates Steve Mahy and Mick Marley have drawn each other in the first round of the Henderson Cup matchplay. The top eight from each of the Royal Guernsey and L'Ancresse club 36-hole qualifiers went into the hat for the knockout stages and, on handicap, Mahy and Marley are the two finest players left in the event.

Both men are also in fine early season form.

Marley shot a two-under 68 in the second round of the Royal qualifier, while Mahy was only one shot worse off the next day after two solid rounds of qualifying.

Hearing the draw Mahy said, rather philosophically: 'If you want to win you've got to beat the best. It will be a good game.'

Marley, a scratch handicap, groaned: 'That means I will have to give him a shot.'

Mahy is closing in on scratch status himself, having lowered his handicap to a career-best 0.7.

He said yesterday that the fear of falling behind the best players in his own club had led him to work harder on his own game.

'I got in a bit of practice last month.'

Mahy said he was happy with his game and reported that he had putted well without making many mistakes in qualifying.

Marley, meanwhile, told a usual tale of escapes and long putts.

The fun started on the opening hole of his second round when the former island champion thought he had lost his opening drive in bushes.

He found it playable, however, hacked out and sank a 40-footer for his par.

He continued to make good progress and was under par until he dropped shots at the 12th, 13th and 14th.

But at 16 he smashed his drive to the fringe and canned the putt for an eagle. He then went and birdied the 17th.

Marley has an extra incentive to beat Mahy as his brother, Andy, is also through to the last 16 and is in the opposite half of the draw.

'An all-Marley final would be good fun,' said the more celebrated of the two.

This weekend sees L'Ancresse course stage the two preliminary round matches in the Hampshire 7-a-side knockout.

On Saturday morning the Guernsey Junior Golf Club play Alderney with La Grande Mare awaiting the winners.

On Sunday L'Ancresse play hosts to St Pierre Park with the winners playing the Royal Guernsey.

n?THE partnership of Linda Robertshaw and Christine Birkett romped to a big win in the NSPCC Thomas Trophy Stableford event run by the Royal Guernsey Ladies' Section this week.

They scored 48 points in the better ball fourball format, to finish six points clear.

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