St Pierre Park’s run comes to an end in ‘cruel’ manner

After a titanic battle with visiting Jersey club Les Ormes on Sunday, the Channel Islands final of the Hampshire Sevens came down to an extra hole in the anchor rubber with the sides having won three points apiece.

Unfortunately for Zac Hannis, he was giving opponent David Freeman five shots on the day and with the first hole at SPP being stroke index one, even a superb up-and-down from the home player chipping over the front right-hand bunker to make an excellent par was not enough to extend the match as Freeman held his nerve to make an impressive par-nett-birdie himself to clinch victory.

‘It’s cruel after all the effort and everything we went through to get here,’ said St Pierre Park team captain Alex Ford.

‘Everyone tried so hard and most of the matches were nip-and-tuck.

‘It comes down to the 19th of the last match, their guy had a shot and he made it count so credit to him, but what an experience it has been for the club.

‘The way everyone has come together and the support we have received from other clubs, too, has been great. We thank them for their support and hope we have done the island proud.’

It was an incredible rollercoaster ride for the players and the many spectators out on the course, with twists and turns throughout, though credit must go to Les Ormes for application and resilience on an unfamiliar course.

St Pierre Park got the first couple of points on the board thanks to fine performances from Lawrence Guinness-Browne and Gavin Robins in the middle of the order. Both were in receipt of three shots from Nathan Maguire and Simon Ashworth respectively and they made them count, in Guinness-Browne’s case to make it three wins from three in the Hampshire Sevens this season while for Robins, perhaps better known for his footballing exploits over the years, it was a convincing win on his competition debut.

Where the other points SPP required were likely to come from was more of a mystery, though.

All of their remaining players were battling away, but as Ford suggested, everything was nip-and-tuck.

In the end, the shots Ross Haines and Martin Ireland were giving away proved crucial as Neil Kelly and Paul Wood came through their respective contests in 16 holes.

The top two rubbers were proving virtually impossible to call and, if anything, they went against the odds in the end.

For the hosts, Paul de la Mare staged a remarkable comeback in the first game out on the course having found himself 3 down at the turn to Paul Jones.

But the home player dug in well and managed to get back on level terms with his opponent by the end of the round to take their rubber down an extra hole where de la Mare had the benefit of a shot, which proved crucial as he edged a hard-fought encounter on the 19th.

However, directly behind them, Ford was involved in his own see-saw battle against left-hander Jonathan Dauny.

They were all-square with three to play when the SPP team captain knocked a lovely shot into the 16th to edge ahead.

At the 17th, though, Ford actually hit it too well off the tee and what looked like being a cracker flew over the green onto the path at the back.

Dauny put his reply into the penalty area short of the green, but with it being dry he could manufacture a recovery shot, which he did well.

Ford opted to play his ball as it lies, but luck was against him as a rock under the ball caused the shot to go awry and he was forced to concede the hole, so they were all-square going to the last.

Then came the decisive shot as Dauny used the lay of the land to his advantage as the contours of the slope took his tee shot right down to within 6ft of the pin.

Ford knew he had to go for broke and unfortunately for him it ended with a splash as his hopes sank in the pond.

So after all that had gone before, it all came down to Hannis v Freeman and as they made their way to the 17th all-square, they knew by the gathering throng that their rubber was to be decisive.

They played the next three holes brilliantly under such pressure, with both coming within a whisker of a birdie at 17 and then making impressive two-putt pars from distance on 18, before Freeman was the hero for Les Ormes on the 19th as he made the most of that shot he received.

‘Huge thanks and credit to Les Ormes for the way they have come here, practised hard and given us a great game,’ said Ford.

‘They had good, solid golfers and have beaten both La Moye and Royal Jersey to get this far, so they have followed a very similar path to us in the competition.

‘I think we have both shown that if you come together as a team and want something, you can achieve it.’

Results (SPP players first)

Paul de la Mare (9 handicap) beat Paul Jones (5) at the 19th hole; Alex Ford (7) lost to Jonathan Dauny (8) 1 down; Lawrence Guinness-Browne (8) beat Nathan Maguire (5) 4/3; Gavin Robins (9) beat Simon Ashworth (6) 6/4; Ross Haines (2) lost to Neil Kelly (6) 4/2; Martin Ireland (7) lost to Paul Wood (9) 3/2; Zac Hannis (3) lost to David Freeman (8) at the 19th.

St Pierre Park 3, Les Ormes 4.