Final as good as over by the seventh

FOR the second time, 31-year-old Richard Ramskill is the Channel Islands golf champion. He beat Guernsey champion Jack Mitchell 9 and 8 at La Moye.

Ramskill was five up after the morning's play and then won three of the opening nine holes in the afternoon. By the 28th, it was all over.

In retrospect, according to the 20-year-old Guernseyman, it was probably as good as over by the seventh hole where Ramskill was five up and making the most of a difficult course in good conditions.

'They seemed to have made the course as difficult as possible and the pin positions were even harder,' said Mitchell.

'I've been practising hard for this over the last couple of weeks, but the greens weren't responding as well as they do back home.

'A course like this is difficult when you're not used to playing it that often, although after the first seven holes I was level with him over the next 13 going into lunch.

'I've also got a lot of personal problems at the moment, which isn't an excuse but is at the back of my mind. At the moment, to be honest, there are more things going on in my life than golf.'

Even so, Mitchell is a good player, one who, if he stays in the islands, could and should become a CI champion in years to come.

'He's a good golfer,' agreed Ramskill.

'And I think the 18th hole also made a difference. No, he didn't start well, but I feel I started really well before playing a few loose shots and I needed that 18th hole to go back to five up before lunch.

'Jack was right about the pins - some of them weren't set very friendly.'

After lunch, the players halved the first two holes before Ramskill won the next two to go seven up.

They exchanged the next two and both parred seven and eight, but Ramskill took the ninth to go eight ahead.

'On the 10th I was on the green in two, knowing I would at least par the hole. He'd missed the green to the right and chipped the ball twice after that to be on the green in four,' said the Jerseyman.

Ramskill, acknowledging the skills of his opponent and the problems he currently faces, added: 'I know what Jack means when he says it's harder to play on a course you don't know so well, but there's also pressure on me, playing in front of a home crowd. They expect you to do well.

'As for playing away from home - the first time I won the championship, in 2002, I had to do it over in Guernsey, so I know exactly how he feels.'