Thirteen is not unlucky for Nicolle as eagle inspires win
THE Nicolles have been involved in both major upsets of the first round of this year’s Island Championship.
But whereas son Jeremy was the first seed eliminated from the competition on Monday night, yesterday his dad Dave knocked out second seed Bobby Eggo – aided by his son on his bag.
It was a terrific performance from Nicolle senior in a match that has been played often over the years.
He got off to a flier as Eggo struggled early on and a birdie on the fourth put Nicolle 3 up, although he would have known that his opponent, the 11-time island champion, would fight back.
Eggo did exactly that and by the time they reached the 13th, the match was all square.
Nicolle was not finished though – far from it. In fact, the best was yet to come.
On the 13th fairway with 100 yards to the middle of the green with the flag situated a few yards further on, Nicolle junior handed his father a gap wedge and it proved to be an inch perfect approach, nestling in the hole for an eagle two to put him ahead once more.
He followed it with a birdie on the 15th and Nicolle was 2 up with three to play.
Eggo continued to fight and his downhill birdie putt on the 16th caught a good portion of the hole, but it was carrying just an ounce too much weight so it lipped out.
His putt for a three on the 17th looked good, too, but it skirted by the cup and allowed Nicolle to lag his own birdie putt up to hole side for a half to clinch victory.
He will now face David Robinson, who emerged victorious in the longest match of the night as he succeeded in getting up-and-down for par from just in front of the first green whereas Sean Mills failed to do likewise on the 19th hole of their match.
Eggo was not the only seed to fall at the first hurdle yesterday as in the third quarter of the draw Wayne Moore put in an excellent display including several birdies to defeat the recent Piccadilly Trophy winner Tom Le Huray convincingly.
The Royal Guernsey man was not helped by losing the use of his three wood, which broke while out on the course, but he did not use that as an excuse and instead held up his hands and said Moore deserved his 5 & 4 victory.
In the second round Moore will meet Arthur Evans, who beat Mark Creber yesterday, while the other match in that bracket pits Daniel Griggs against Mick Marley after they saw off Mark Bertrand and Paul Le Page respectively.
The other seed in action last night, Jamie Blondel, was given a stern test by Louis Sheppard of La Grande Mare, who led the 2014 champion after seven holes.
Blondel edged ahead with a par on the 12th and he must have thought he had done enough to double his lead when he birdied the next hole, only for Sheppard to follow him in.
However, Sheppard could not match Blondel’s birdie on the 14th and the next three holes were all halved in pars to see Blondel progress.
He now faces Neil Tanguy, who also defeated Emile Thompson by a 2 & 1 scoreline.
RESULTS
First round, bottom half
D. Griggs beat M. Bertrand 6 & 4; M. Marley beat P. Le Page 3 & 2; A. Evans beat M. Creber 5 & 3; W. Moore beat T. Le Huray 5 & 4; J. Blondel beat L. Sheppard 2 & 1; N. Tanguy beat E. Thompson 2 & 1; D. Robinson beat S. Mills at 19th; D. Nicolle beat R. Eggo 2 & 1.
Today’s second round matches (starting from 4.15pm)
D. Robinson v. D. Nicolle; J. Blondel v. N. Tanguy; A. Evans v. W. Moore; D. Griggs v. M. Marley; S. Le Huray v. D. Bisson; N. Vaudin v. M. Allez; W. Harwood v. B. Rolph; D. Blondel v. G. Melhuish.
