Ramskill CI golf champ again

Ramskill CI golf champ again

Playing over a possible 36 holes against Guernsey champion Jack Mitchell at La Moye yesterday afternoon, Ramskill was five up after the morning’s play and then eight up in the afternoon with nine to play.

By the 28th hole it was all over.

In retrospect, according to the 20-year-old Guernseyman, it was probably as good as over by the seventh hole, when Ramskill was five up and making the most of a difficult course in good conditions.

‘They seemed to have made the course as difficult as possible and the pin positions were even harder,’ said Mitchell.

‘I’ve been practising hard for this over the last couple of weeks, but the greens weren’t responding as well as they do back home.

‘A course like this is difficult when you’re not used to playing it that often, although after the first seven holes I was level with him over the next 13, going into lunch.

‘I’ve also got a lot of personal problems at the moment, which isn’t an excuse but is at the back of my mind.

At the moment, to be honest, there are more things going on in my life than golf.’ Even so, Mitchell is a good player, one who – if he stays in the Channel Islands – could and should become a CI champion in years to come.

‘He’s a good golfer,’ agreed Ramskill.

‘And I think the 18th hole also made a difference.

No, he didn’t start well, but I feel I started really well before playing a few loose shots, and I needed that 18th hole to go back to five up before lunch.

‘Jack was right about the pins – some of them weren’t set very friendly.

‘But then on the last 18, I halved the first two, went six up at the third, won the fourth to go seven up and was playing fairly solidly.

He won the fifth but a birdie on the sixth meant I was seven up again.

We both parred the seventh and eighth before I won on the ninth to go eight up with nine to play.

On the tenth I was on the green in two, knowing I would at least par the hole.

He’d missed the green to the right and chipped the ball in twice after that, to be on the green in four.

Because of that, the match was over.’ Ramskill, acknowledging the skills – and the problems – his opponent currently faces added: ‘I know what Jack means when he says it’s harder to play on a course you don’t know so well; but there’s also pressure on me, playing in front of a home crowd.

They expect you to do well.

As for playing away from home – the first time I won the championship, in 2002, I had to do it over in Guernsey; so I know exactly how he feels.’

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