PODCAST: Hosts should be looking to strike gold at Games
Gold should be the aim for the Guernsey men’s golf team at this summer’s home NatWest International Island Games.
That is the view of Dave Jeffery, who has named a squad of five players, of whom four will make the final quartet and the other act as reserve when L’Ancresse hosts the 72-hole competition in July.
Reigning Channel Islands champion Jamie Blondel and his cousin Danny, the island’s lowest handicap, have unsurprisingly made the initial cut and are joined in the squad by the 2022 Hampshire junior champion Ollie Chedhomme, Jeremy Nicolle and Tom Pattimore.
Listen to a full interview with island men's team manager Dave Jeffery on the latest Guernsey Press Sport Podcast
‘All the Island squad members were available and as we are in the off-season, you can only go on previous form, so we looked at the results of the UV from the last couple of years as our only 72-holer, as well as the Piccadilly Trophy and Le Riche Cup as 36-hole strokeplay,’ Jeffery said.
‘The selectors wanted an emphasis on the younger players and we have got a relatively young team, which is good for a home Games.
‘They have got something to focus on now and I’m sure they will put the hard work in. The Games is in our mid-season when we have a lot of big competitions, so they should be peaking at that time anyway.
‘I think as the home team on a course we play every day, we should be confident as 90% of the field would not have played here for many years if at all, so I think we should be aiming for golds in the individual and team events.’
Guernsey's women's team was named last year, with Di Aitchison, Mary Bate, Chloe Domaille, and Chloe Gaudion selected alongside Veronica Bougourd as reserve.
