Nicolle in contention

DAVID NICOLLE headed the Guernsey challenge on the opening morning of the Hampshire County Championship. With L'Ancresse looking a picture in glorious sunshine and very little wind, the island player from the Royal Guernsey shot an excellent 67 - one of five red scores on the board at the completion of the first round.

Having gone out in par 35, Nicolle came back in 32 including a trio of birdie threes on the homeward nine.

However, leading the way was Ryan Henley who shot a magnificent 65.

The 2005 county champion from the Stoneham club, who was playing along side Guernsey's own previous winner Bobby Eggo, chipped in twice during a round which included seven birdies, the final one at the last where he holed out from 12ft after his tee shot went straight over the flag.

Henley's bogeys came at nine and 11 as he went out in 34 and covered the back nine in 31.

Playing partner Eggo left himself with some work to do if he was to make the matchplay stages, having opened with a 73.

In the group immediately ahead, Mark Burgess of Blackmoor briefly held the clubhouse lead with a 68 after starting in ideal fashion with a birdie at the first.

Danny Bisson was the other local to post an under-par score although his 69 was quite a mixed bag including a double bogey six at the 13th.

'I drained a few putts as well,' added the L'Ancresse man who notched six birdies including four in a back nine of 35 after threes at the first and the fifth had helped him reach the turn in 34.

Brockenhurst Manor's Jonathan Young was the other competitor to break 70 as he matched Bisson's score.

With tournament secretary Barry Morgan predicting that 145 would be around the cut mark for the top 16, other Sarnians in decent shape after the first 18 holes included the new island champion Jack Mitchell, one of 15 under-21s in the event, who shot 71.

His clubmate Mike Hamon was one shot worse off, as was their island teammate Mick Marley and Jersey champion Richard Ramskill, who recovered well after starting his campaign with a seven at the first. The latter's card also included three twos.

Joining Eggo a shot further back were John Le Lievre, Danny Blondel and Garry McFarlane.

Matthew Parkman, the current Channel Islands champion from Royal Jersey who claimed the title on the L'Ancresse links last year, was happy to be back on a course he enjoys playing.

However, a 74 meant he was looking to score par or better yesterday afternoon.

'It was all right. The front nine was pretty tough and I managed to make an eight on nine so I was quite chuffed to have a quadruple bogey and still card a 74,' he said.

'The greens are nice but you have got to get yourself in the right position to approach them. Some of the pins are tricky but you have got others you can attack.

'The rough is not as rough as it is around the Royal Jersey but you have still got to take your punishment if you find it.'

The top 16 after the 36 holes of qualifying go into the matchplay stages which begin today at approximately 10.15am, after the first round of the Slater Cup and Dumbleton Memorial Stableford foursomes get under way.

The quarter-finals follow at 2.45pm.

The championship semi-finals are at 8am tomorrow and the final starts at 12.30pm.