Ponte charged up

AIMEE PONTE, three-times island women's champion at the tender age of 16, says she 'cannot wait' to test herself against the cream of the island men in Guernsey's richest golf event launched today.

The Cenkos Guernsey Open Matchplay brings together, for the first time, the best men's players, the leading females, club professionals and juniors, contesting a prize fund totalling £3,500, or to the value of, and will be staged entirely at La Grande Mare and run in association with the Guernsey Press.

Two wild card picks and four medal qualifiers will complete the 16-strong field which will challenge for The Cenkos Trophy over four evenings at the start of July, culminating in the final on 4 July.

'It's absolutely brilliant news,' said Ponte, pictured, who is in Spain this week, preparing for the new season.

'I've so been wanting a mixed event like this,' added the youngster, who has taken the CI women's golf scene by storm since winning the island title for the first time at the age of 13 and a few days. 'It's a great event to publicise golf and I cannot wait to play the men,' added the current Channel Islands champion.