Vennard’s Order of Merit a masterstroke

Newly re-elected non-playing island captain Danny Vennard has introduced a men’s Order of Merit to not only help ensure the right players get chosen to play Jersey each year, but also add a new aspect of competition to the island scene.

‘It’s something that has been talked about by players for four or five years and [as captain] it has taken me time to work on it and embrace,’ he said this week.

‘I think it will be something that will become pretty prestigious to win,’ he added.

Vennard, who survived a challenge from Nigel Le Noury to maintain his role, has sensibly limited the number of events to just six and in doing so he surely puts to bed any lingering doubt from La Grande Mare members that their club is not treated on level terms.

For this venture, not only does the Ravenscroft Open Matchplay count for Order of Merit points, so does the La Grande Mare Open.

The other four events which count are the Island Championship, which provides more obtainable points than any other, the 36-hole Piccadilly and Brymay, the L’Ancresse Open and the 36-hole Le Riche and Tradesmen.

Vennard, who will oversee the Order of Merit, said that the top six players will qualify for the island team automatically, with the other four picks being the responsibility of the captain and his selectors.

‘If one of the six qualifiers is not available for selection, then that spot will go to the seventh in line and thereon.

‘I would add that the captain’s pick would also have some selection principles, with the Scratch League participation and results, playing handicap, Island Matchplay record, team dynamics, other scratch scores and personal circumstances all being considered in equal measures.’

On the face of it, Vennard has come forward with something that is eminently sensible, fair and achievable for all.

In limiting it to six prestigious events and ignoring the likes of the 72-hole week, he had recognised that it would be wrong to penalise the family man whose time is limited, but who has ambition and ability to pull on the green sweater against Jersey come September.

‘There will be a clause that stipulates that at the time of completion, any player falling within the top six spaces must also have an active 3.5 playing handicap or lower,’ Vennard pointed out. ‘I feel strongly that this is a necessary provision in order to eliminate the potential of a higher handicap having one or two brilliant rounds in the Order of Merit tournaments and reaching a qualifying spot for Island team selection despite having a much higher playing handicap than others Order of Merit participants.

‘I recognise that this will probably not happen, but just in case.’

In the ‘OEM’ matchplay competitions points will be awarded to the winner, losing finalist, semi-finalists and quarter finalists and as the Ravenscroft, LGM Open and L’Ancresse Open has non-Guernsey players competing, points will be awarded on final placing: i.e. if a non-islander wins the Ravenscroft Matchplay and a Guernsey player is second, the Guernsey player will pick up 30 points, not 50 and thereon.

Order of Merit events and points structure:

Piccadilly and Brymay – 30 points winner; 2nd place 20; 10 points down to 1 point in the order of the finishing position.

Island Championship – 60 points winner; 40 runner-up; 30 points semi-finalists; 15 quarter-finalists.

Ravenscroft Open Matchplay – 50 points winner; 30 runner-up; 20 semi-finalists; 5 points quarter-finalists.

La Grande Mare Open – 40 points winner; 30 runner-up, 20 points down to 10 points in the order of the finishing positions 3rd to 13th.

L’Ancresse Open – 40 points winner; 30 runner-up, 20 points down to 10 points in the order of the finishing positions 3rd to 13th.

Le Riche & Tradesmen – 40 points winner; 30 runner-up, 20 points down to 10 points in the order of the finishing positions 3rd to 13th.

HAD the planned Order of Merit been utilised island-wide half a century ago, there was every chance Tommy Rihoy would have been in its upper reaches alongside the legendary Mahys, Ray Lowe and Johnny Heaumes.

Tommy ‘T. P.’ Rihoy, passed away this week and, after Reuben Mahy, is the second great of the island golf scene to slip away this year.

A very fine all-round sportsman – a great softball player too – Tommy landed two Island titles, in 1957 and then again two years later.

In the 57 final he had to hole a 10ft putt for a half on the 36th hole to hold off Roy Mahy 1 up.

Two years on, he and Jonny Dyer played superbly and Tommy was two under when he completed a 4 and 3 win on the 33rd hole.

THE CI footballing landscape is fast-changing, certainly at ‘development’ level. Tomorrow’s U21s ‘Muratti’ will be the first to be contested by an XI not carrying the name of its association.

Jersey arrive as a Centre of Excellence XI, not Jersey, although I’m sure if the Caesareans halt their run of losses in the series it will be Jersey that is engraved on the trophy, if for no reason than to save on engraving costs.

When will Guernsey follow suit though?

Well, of course, they are already half-way there with as many as four of the likely starting XI being Guernsey FC players as opposed to club representatives and, whichever way you look at it, Guernsey Football Club is there to be a finishing school for local footballers.

Certainly the way youth football is heading, before very long you can see the U21s and the U18s both clashes between Centres of Excellence, albeit the Guernsey version may be branded Academy.

The dearth of U18 players is worrying. Walkovers are being handed out left, right and centre, commitment levels are poor outside the elite groups.

What can be done? I’m scratching my head – and so are many football people in both islands.