THE Rosscot Jersey Strokeplay Championships reach their conclusion this weekend at the Royal Jersey Golf Club, with both the men’s and women’s titles up for grabs in what promises to be a fascinating two days of championship golf.
While the men’s field has already begun qualifying, the women’s championship starts on Saturday morning with a strong blend of established contenders and emerging talent chasing one of the island’s most prestigious amateur titles.
Defending women’s champion Lily Buckley is not in the field this year, guaranteeing a new name on the trophy and opening the door for a tightly contested battle over 36 holes.
Among the leading contenders is La Moye’s Abi Harris, who enjoyed success earlier this season when she teamed up with Buckley to claim the JG Foursomes Championship. Harris will be joined by experienced campaigners Brona Lambert and Melissa McMahon, both of whom possess the pedigree to challenge for the title.
The next generation of Jersey golf is also well represented. Royal Jersey’s Anabelle Lucas-Villar and La Moye’s Iman Hamid-Wilkinson are among a number of promising youngsters looking to make their mark on the championship stage.
With favourable conditions forecast for Saturday after two difficult days of wind and rain during the men’s qualifying rounds, scoring opportunities could prove more plentiful for the women’s field.
In the men’s championship, reigning Island and Channel Islands champion Sam Quail set the early pace with an opening-round 72 in challenging conditions.
At the time of writing, Friday’s second qualifying round had not yet concluded, meaning the final standings and 16-player cut were still to be decided. However, Thursday’s leaderboard confirmed just how competitive this year’s championship is shaping up to be.
Strong winds and persistent drizzle tested the field throughout Thursday, with Quail’s gross two-over-par round proving enough to edge ahead of defending champion Charlie Kiberd and Mark Tostevin, who both carded 73.
Jacob Townsend remained firmly in contention on 74, while Ben Carvalho sat just three shots off the pace after a 75. Only six strokes separated the leading 13 players after the opening round, highlighting the depth of quality throughout the field.
Quail admitted he initially left the course feeling frustrated despite topping the leaderboard.
“I felt like I didn’t hole many putts, which is normally one of the strongest parts of my game,” he said.
“But when you come in and hear the scores everyone else has shot, you look at things a little differently. Two over par in 30mph winds and rain isn’t too bad.”
The current Island champion believes patience will be crucial around the Royal Jersey layout.
“You’ve got to drive the ball well and hit greens. The Royal is tighter than La Moye and it will eat you alive if you make silly mistakes. It’s about staying patient and missing it in the right spots.”
Defending champion Kiberd is equally well placed heading into the decisive stages.
“I’m in a pretty good spot,” he said. “One shot behind Sam and there are a few people around the same score, so it’s very tight.
“With the conditions, I was just trying to hang in there and accept whatever happened. There are a lot of good players in the field and plenty still in the mix.”
Kiberd, who lifted the title at his home course last year with a four-under-par total, believes the Royal presents a different challenge.
“You want to make your score on the front nine and then try to hold onto it on the back. When the wind gets up, some of those closing holes become really demanding.”
The men’s field will be cut to the leading 16 players following qualifying before the championship is decided over 36 holes on Saturday.
With Quail seeking to add another major title to his growing collection, Kiberd aiming to defend his crown and a host of challengers within striking distance, the men’s competition appears finely poised.
Meanwhile, an open women’s field guarantees a new champion will be crowned, setting the stage for an intriguing weekend at the Royal Jersey Golf Club.
Keep up to date with qualifying scores here: Mens Strokeplay Championship 2026 Round 1
