Champion backs Island Championships format change but captain unconvinced
NEW island golf captain Dave Jeffery has queried the decision to change the format of the annual men’s championships to a 36-hole strokeplay qualifier, followed by three or possibly four rounds of matchplay.
While top island players, including 2018 champion Danny Blondel and former champion Steve Mahy, have pushed for a change from the traditional championship week for a three-day event to match the Hampshire and Jersey county competitions, Jeffery finds it all very odd and is not convinced it will attract more entries.
The championships are also to move away from L’Ancresse for the first time, La Grande Mare getting its big chance to stage the event ahead of holding the inter-insular team match in 2020, ahead of co-hosting the 2021 Island Games.
At a time when La Grande Mare is rife with talk of a buy-out and perhaps major redevelopment and redesign to the course, LGM stalwart Jeffery says now is perhaps not the time to take the tournament down the coast to Vazon, regardless of the new format changes and reasons for it.
‘Personally, I don’t understand why they are changing it and there are a quite a lot down here [at La Grande Mare] who wouldn’t have changed it.
‘It has worked well for many years and I can see a 36-hole qualifier, which will mean taking a whole day off work, will mean even less people playing.’
Blondel, meanwhile, said the idea has been talked about by top players for a couple of years.
‘It is a good initiative, something different and hopefully it will attract a larger field.
‘I’m all for it. It is exactly how Hampshire and how Jersey run their championship.’
The current champion says playing at La Grande Mare for the first time will ‘open it up a bit’.
‘From a personal view I fancy my chances more at L’Ancresse, but with the amount of work going on down there it should be in good shape come May.’
Steve Mahy said the leading players would prefer an 18-hole final, as opposed to the traditional 36, and that would allow 16 players to qualify via the strokeplay event on the Friday.
‘I suppose you will lose that first-round shock aspect, but I think you will get a better standard of matchplay golf and a 36-holes final is a long day; more a test of stamina.
‘But we are hoping it will attract more players and hopefully it will work.’
n The 2019 championships are scheduled to be played over three days at the end of May.