Father and son Jardines celebrate on two fronts

IT WAS the stuff of which dreams are made, especially those of a budding 15-year-old golfer. Thomas Jardine romped to a seven-shot win in the 16th Guernsey Charity Golf Classic at La Grande Mare, carding back-to-back 64s.

And just to make the victory that bit sweeter, his dad Alastair who kept him company and vied with the youngster for the title and green jacket all weekend, holed in one.

Both Jardines shot opening 64s to share the overnight lead with Kevin Buckley.

But while Jardine senior and Buckley faded on day two, Thomas showed few signs of blowing up.

'If he wins we win,' said Jardine senior after the routine card checking had confirmed Thomas' victory.

The youngest champion in the competition's history admitted to feeling nervous as he started day two in conditions which had improved only marginally on the first round.

While a howling gale was the problem all day Saturday, a strong wind and downpours were the order of the day as the top contenders went out in descending order with the leaders out last.

As early as the third the young 16 handicap was feeling the pressure.

'I took too big a club by some way and went out of bounds. I ended up taking a seven on the par three,' said Jardine junior.

But with his playing partners faltering, the youngster played commendably steadily throughout until a heart-in-the-mouth moment at the scene of his dad's ace on day one.

The leader's shot into the long par three over the water swallow-dived towards a watery grave, but to his relief it skimmed over the surface and bounced onto the bank.

The day before Jardine senior had holed his tee shot.

'I hit a nice easy five, it took a big bounce and to be honest I thought it might have gone through the back. But when we got on the green, I saw it was in the hole.'

Jardine senior eventually had to settle for joint fourth after adding a 73 to his opening 64.

It was the same story for second-day playing partner Buckley.

Going the other way were Wasif Anees, Ross Bateman and Richard Sinkinson.

For a short while, 10-handicap Anees led in the clubhouse on 137, having shot the day's joint-lowest score of 64.

Arthur Pugh had done something similar, but had left himself far too much to do after day one.

Mark Creber also enjoyed a good Sunday, returning a 65, while two more to break 70 were Bateman and Sinkinson, playing in the penultimate group alongside former island cricketer, Miles Dobson.

Bateman shot a 69 to grab overall third, while Sinkinson went one better to hold the lead all too briefly.

Sinkinson, who double-bogeyed the 17th after finding the water, played 'pretty solidly' all the way round and was soon put out of his misery as within 15 minutes of finishing he learned of Jardine's success.

All told, a full-house 120 players had competed in the big charity event and few had given in to the elements, the worst in the competition's history.

'The no-shows have been minimal,' said chief organiser Ivan Rihoy. 'It has been tremendous and myself and my fellow trustees have been very happy with the whole thing.'

Rihoy could scarcely believe a 15-year-old could return two such low scores.

'It must be the lowest winning score we've ever had. To achieve two level-par 64s is magnificent.

* ALASTAIR JARDINE picked the wrong hole to ace.

Had it been the third, it would have earned £10,000 for charity.