Golf: Island titles secured by Lagadu and Anderson

Helen Lagadu became the ladies Division I Island Champion, after runner-up finishes in 2015 & 2017 Picture: ROB CURRIE

FOR the first time in history the Jersey Golf Union and the Jersey Ladies Golf Association held their showcase events in the same week, at La Moye Golf Club.

The Jersey Amateur Championships are matchplay events, with strokeplay qualifiers – to find the annual Island champion.

Helen Lagadu confessed that her golf had not been sharp entering the ladies Division I championship, thus expectations were low.

The Royal Jersey member has come agonisingly close in the past, falling to Jenny Deeley in the 2015 final and Hannah Scriven in 2017.

However, Lagadu was able to get the monkey off her back this year, in a replay of the 2017 final – as she defeated Scriven 1Up.

She said: ‘Five weeks ago I injured my finger, so I really didn’t know if I would be able to play, let alone be involved in the final.

‘I think the lack of expectations helped and I just enjoyed the week, rather than putting any real pressure on getting a result.

‘My golf hadn’t been in very good shape preparing for the event either, I just reset and went back to basics and I think that simplicity helped.

‘With it being Father’s Day last week, the win was certainly for my late Dad. He wasn’t able to come and watch me play so I definitely felt him out there and I know he was supporting.’

On the men’s side, the story was eerily similar. Steven Anderson, like Lagadu, came close last year before falling at the final hurdle to Richard Ramskill.

This year, he too was able to go one step further and claim his maiden men’s Island Championship crown – defeating 2021 Hampshire County champion Jo Hacker 1Up in the final.

‘I have enjoyed a nice spell of form this year,’ said the 27-year-old. ‘All without managing to win any of the bigger tournaments, so it felt great to add this to my collection.

‘I have been nursing a couple of injuries, so trying to manage that and still compete hasn’t been easy.

‘Matchplay is always a battle and to try and maintain form across all four days and survive against four opponents is tough. It was so much fun in the final against Jo [Hacker]. He’s an excellent player and his resumé speaks for itself.

‘I wasn’t great in the semi, so I think I was just grateful to get through and expectations were pretty low heading into the match.

‘I knew I needed to be better against Jo to stand a chance and fortunately for me, I was.’

Elsewhere, in the men’s handicap championship, it was Paul Markham who got the better of his La Moye clubmate Oliver Allchin, by a margin of 2&1, after defeating Nathan Maguire in the semi-finals.

Junior Allchin got the better of Royal Jersey member Julian Bratley in his semi-final, while his dad, Simon, reached the semi-final of the scratch contest.

It was delight for Jane Richardson in the ladies Division II final, as she defeated Leslie McLatchie 3&2, following a hard-fought semi-final victory that came on the 20th hole against Gudrun Bjarnadottir.

Jackie Thompson also overcame a tight semi-final against Estelle Burns to win on the 19th, before securing the Division III crown, with a 2&1 success over Norma Hinds.

Anderson and all of the ladies’ champions will make the short journey to Guernsey next month to compete for the right to be Channel Islands champions.

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