Blondel knocks out defending champion

DANNY BLONDEL relished his role reversal last evening and knocked the defending champion out of the Island Championship.

Twenty-four hours earlier, the island star had been in a no-win situation when he was expected to overcome 13-year-old James Hamon.

Yesterday, though, he was up against Channel Islands champion Garry McFarlane, and looked like a man on a mission.

On the first green he rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt after his opponent's effort had just slipped by and although that lead was short-lived as McFarlane responded with a superb three at the next, Blondel then holed from 12 feet for a two on the third to edge ahead once more.

He suffered a minor blip on the sixth where his second finished on the fifth tee and McFarlane won it with a par, but by the turn Blondel led once more.

He made a par four on the 11th look easy when it was anything but into the wind to double his advantage and extended it further up the 12th.

In typically dogged fashion, McFarlane was not giving up easily and hit a delightful wedge approach to 13 to set up a birdie that reduced the arrears.

However, having halved the 14th, McFarlane knew the writing was on the wall and indicated as much with a wry smile when his par putt on 15 looked over the edge of the cup but did not want to drop.

In contrast, Blondel's completed a full circle of the rim before disappearing and his fist pump acknowledged that he was now dormy.

The handshake between the two L'Ancresse teammates came on the next green and Blondel now goes on to face Mick Marley this evening.