Martellos start campaign with a show of strength

The sight of some of the island’s elite golfers teeing it up at La Grande Mare was another welcome sign that domestic sport is embracing phase five of the exit from lockdown and without an inter-insular to look forward to in 2020, the big guns in Steve Mahy’s team showed that they intend to break their neighbours’ stranglehold on the competition, the Royals having won all three previous editions.

On paper, the Douit Dodgers knew that they had their work cut-out in the foursomes and those two rubbers went largely to script.

However, the performance of the match came in the first singles rubbers where Arthur Evans overcame the home side’s junior island champion Ollie Chedhomme.

While his illustrious teammates are usually those in the limelight, Evans quietly goes about his business and thoroughly enjoys the challenge of a head-to-head against quality opposition.

In fairness, Chedhomme did not hit the heights of the previous two days when he carded two gross 68s to retain his LGM junior title, but Evans did not give him an inch and came out a 3 & 2 winner in a 17-5 victory for the Martellos.

The next match in the Island Team Scratch League 2020 will see the Royal Guernsey GC Royals start their title defence against the L’Ancresse Martellos on Monday 13 July, 5.30pm.

• More in Wednesday's Guernsey Press.