Nicolle knocks out the defending champion to reach last four
And then there were four. There promises to be two cracking Men’s Island Championship semi-finals this evening at L’Ancresse, both of which pit a former champion against Island players pushing for their first crown.
However, the reigning Bachmann Trophy holder Tom Le Huray will not be among them as his title defence came to an end at the hands of Jeremy Nicolle in yesterday’s quarter-finals.
It was a bad day at the office for Le Huray, who was unable to find his best golf until after the turn by which time it was far too late against the second seed, who picked up from where he had impressively left off the night before when he had finished so strongly to knock out Dave Jeffery.
Nicolle looked focused from the outset, arguably intent to gain a bit of revenge for his last-gasp semi-final defeat against the same opponent a year ago, while a topped opening tee shot set the tone for the defending champion on the front nine, by the end of which he was 7 down.
Le Huray continued to plug away and managed to prolong the match by winning the 10th with a birdie and also claiming the 12th.
In all probability, he would have made a birdie on the 13th, too, albeit in an unorthodox manner with his attempt to drive the green ending up on the 11th fairway before he knocked his approach to 3ft, but Nicolle had already played a brilliant second of his own and he rolled in his putt for a three to seal victory.
He will now face Danny Bisson, who played some excellent stuff of his own to see off the dogged challenge of Sean Mills.
One of the highlights of his round saw Bisson chip in for birdie at the seventh and he also birdied the eight and 14th before a terrific five-iron approach into the wind at 15 saw him clinch his place in the last four.
In the top half of the draw, No 1 seed Conor McKenna ended Wayne Harwood’s fine week while Jamie progressed from the clash of the Blondels as he was comfortably ahead against cousin Danny when the concession came early.
RESULTS
Quarter-finals
C McKenna beat W Harwood 3 & 2; J Blondel beat D Blondel, concession; D Bisson beat S Mills 4 & 3; J Nicolle beat T Le Huray 6 & 5.
Friday’s semi-finals
Bisson v Nicolle, 4.50pm; McKenna v J Blondel, 5pm.
