Unlucky Blondel gets short straw

THE mouth-watering prospect of the island's top amateur playing one of its outstanding club professionals in an 18-hole showdown to settle the island's newest 'major' is now a real possibility.

As organisers of the inaugural Ravenscroft Guernsey Open Matchplay to be played at La Grande Mare next week, the Press sports team opted for four seeds – the island men's finalists and the two competing professionals – when the draw was announced yesterday.

In Monday's first round, the Guernsey men's champion James Hamon will play Luke Blondel, one of island captain Julian Woodhard's three wild-card picks for the four-day matchplay tournament but having got arguably the shortest straw in the random draw.

That clash comes 24 hours after Hamon takes on the Jersey champion Matt Parkman over 36 holes in the Channel Islands final at Grouville.