Wallbridge makes her own slice of history

STEP aside Michelle Wie, there is a new woman golfer mixing it with the men. Nicola Wallbridge has won the Guernsey Open Charity Classic at La Grande Mare Golf Club. She shot 127 over the two rounds and was two clear of second-placed Carl de Carteret.

As an open tournament, both sexes can enter and this is the first year that a woman has won.

Wallbridge, who is now away and was unavailable for comment, was awarded the winner's green blazer by the Lt-Governor, Sir John Foley, after the tournament that raised £8,000 for local charities.

'It is the first time in 15 years that a young lady gets to wear the green blazer,' said tournament organiser Ivan Rihoy.

'I've never heard of a woman winning an open competition on the island before. I accept that they play off a different tee-box, but that does not make much difference at all.

'She played tremendous golf all weekend and she really deserved it. It was a great couple of days and even though the weather was damp, the enthusiasm of the golfers was very high.

'This enthusiasm made the competition tremendous.'

The wet weather made conditions less than ideal, but this didn't stop Neil Black going round in 63 on the Saturday. The Zambia born golfer, who has a handicap of two, shot 68 on the Sunday that ensured he retained the scratch prize he won at last year's tournament.

'It was weird,' he said.

'Saturday had the worst weather of the weekend yet I shot the better golf on that day. I was quite solid and did nothing special.

'Annoyingly, I missed putts on the third and 17th hole and they were both less than one-foot putts. If they had gone in, one would have matched the course record, but I'm still very happy.'

The team trophy was won by the Beauty and the Beasts team that comprised Wallbridge, Howard Holland, Tony de Sousa and Richard Le Tissier.

Together they shot a

combined net score of 545.

Bonzo's Bunkers came second while Rampant Rabbits took the third place.

There were special prizes up for grabs on both days for nearest the pin shots on two different holes and for the longest drive on the 18th for men and on the ninth for women.

Ben Randall won the men's longest drive on both days, another first for the competition.

'I've got a little reputation for hitting a long ball but it is not always that accurate,' he said.