The ever-improving teenager was simply too good for former champion Steve Mahy, who could not come up with an answer to his opponent’s consistency.
On recent form, Neville was tipped to have the potential to cause the big shock of the first round and so it proved as he was quickly 2 up on the L’Ancresse first-teamer and by the time they reached the 12th that lead had increased to four.
Mahy got a hole back on that par three, but it was not enough to spark a comeback and Neville progressed in 15 holes.
In doing so, he has now set up a second-round tie with another former champion Jamie Blondel.
The top seed was an even more convincing winner yesterday, requiring just 13 holes to see off the challenge of Tony de Sousa.
Arguably the match of the night was also the longest, but it finished in terrific style as Stuart Wallbirdge eventually got the better of Daniel Griggs on the 21st hole.
The match had ebbed and flowed with both players leading at various points over the regulation 18 holes, with Griggs 3 up at one stage but having to win the last to take it down extra holes.
Wallbridge made an excellent up-and-down from through the back of the 20th to keep the match alive and after hitting by his own admission a poor, thinned tee shot long at the par-three third, he played a delightful chip that dropped into the hole at perfect pace for a birdie two to clinch victory brilliantly.
Roland Mills is next up for Wallbridge after he overcame an early deficit against another up-and-coming junior in Lewis O’Brien, the youngest entrant in the field, to book his place in the second round.
Several of the highlights of the first day came from Tom Le Huray in his comprehensive victory over Jason Savident, with his stunning four-iron approach into the wind from 211 yards at the ninth to within 10ft the best of the lot.
He will now face Tim Halden, who overcame Nigel Vaudin in a close tie, while another Mills made the second round, too, as Sean came through a real tussle with Dale Rutledge.
He meets club-mate Danny Bisson in the next round after the fourth seed was given a walkover by Dave Robinson, who had to go off-island for work at short notice.
Champion Conor McKenna starts his defence of the title this evening when the bottom half of the first round is played.
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