Guernsey end five years of hurt in single-point victory

GUERNSEY came out on top of an extraordinary weekend of quality golf to end a six-year drought without inter-insular success.

The home captain Dave Rowlinson had predicted that it would be the tightest match in years and they don't come any tighter with an outright result.

Danny Bisson was the hero on the 18th green of the final game remaining on the course, with the overall match deadlocked at nine-and-a-half points each and the hosts needing the full point to regain the trophy.

The L'Ancresse man had just enjoyed a remarkable run of birdies with three down the 15th, 16th and 17th to lead Richard Ramskill 1 up going to the last.

Bisson hit a solid tee shot into the wind down the last to finish on the front left of the green with the pin middle right.

Ramskill must have felt only a two would do to retain the trophy for Jersey, but he pushed his shot out to the right and ended up in the long rough on the hill just over the concrete bunker.

As hundreds gathered around the green, there was a slightly stunned silence of disbelief as Ramskill made his first attempt to hack out and failed.

He managed to pop his third out onto the green, but the matter was now solely in Bisson's hands and he grasped it tight.

His putt was, under the circumstances, by no means straightforward and was in excess of 50ft, but he needed only to get it close.

He did that perfectly and as it slowed to a stop within 'gimme' range, Ramskill removed his cap to offer his congratulations and seldom has a handshake on the 18th green been met with such rapturous applause.