LAST year’s Jersey Legends champion Richard Green has added an additional week onto his title defence, such is his ‘love’ for the Island.
The Australian defeated Paul Lawrie in a thrilling play-off during the 2022 instalment and was waxing lyrical about the beauty Jersey had to offer.
The event is set to take place at La Moye Golf Club between 8-11 June, a venue that ‘instantly clicked’ with Green during his first visit.
He said: ‘We had that much fun last year, I wanted an additional week to spend in Jersey, outside of the tournament environment.
‘There is so much we haven’t yet seen and so much on offer. The added time at the end of the event was a no-brainer. From experience, when I turn up to a destination I instantly fall in love with, that tends to translate to a good week on the golf course. Everything from the accommodation I stayed in to the people I met was excellent.
‘One of my best friends lives in Jersey, Dom Haire, and I hadn’t seen him in about a decade. All of the things that happened through the week, were feelgood things and contributed to a good week on the links. To have the pleasure to play at La Moye, the golf course instantly clicked with me. It is a beautiful place, with amazing views and it just suited my game down to ground.’
However, it was not just the western links that the former champion was impressed with. He was also full of praise for the Island’s eastern links at the Royal Jersey.
‘We were based in Gorey for the week. So I had the luxury to play and practise at Royal Jersey each night. It’s a great little spot, and to wander around and put in some practice there was really nice.’
The 52-year-old has been in fine fettle this season, stringing together a top-three finish in Morocco, along with a tied fourth last week in Texas. He turned professional 31 years ago, which included an impressive stint on the European Tour, where he accumulated nine victories. Despite the length of time Green has been surrounded by competitive golf, his burning desire to win has not wavered.
He added: ‘Absolutely, that desire is there. I still feel like I’m trying to compete like I did in my twenties. I feel like my ability to hit the ball consistently is arguably better now than it ever has been. Off the tee, I have never driven the golf ball as well as I am now. There are other parts of the game that I am still working on, but the game still challenges me. It still gives me the buzz that it always used to when I was younger and it’s the same when I get into tournaments and into contention. I still get that nervous energy that I love to feel.
‘It’s not a feeling that is easy to replicate. Dealing with the pressure of trying to win tournaments can only come from experiences like that in the past.’
Anyone who is interested in seeing the best the Legends Tour has to offer, as well as the renewal of last year’s rivalry between Green and 1999 Open Championship winner Paul Lawrie, can do so free of charge.
Tickets are available now on the Jersey Legends website for the June event, which also features former Masters Champion and La Moye member Ian Woosnam.
