THEY say ‘Revenge is a dish best served cold’ and the old adage played out to perfection from a Jersey standpoint in both the junior and senior inter-insular contests over the weekend.
Royal Jersey played host to both sets of matches at either end of the age spectrum, offering a potent contrast between those embarking on their golfing journey and those in their twilight years.
Perhaps the most remarkable of turnarounds went to the Caesarean juniors, who managed to put their 13.5 – 1.5 away defeat from 2023 firmly in the rear view to comprehensively defeat the Sarnians by a margin of 10 – 5.
Meanwhile, to say the senior match was a one-sided affair would be doing Jersey a disservice.
Across the two days of action and a total of 15 available points to play for, Jersey laid claim to 14.5 of those, sending their opponents back to Guernsey without a win to their name, and just a solitary halved match to save a complete whitewash.
Junior team manager Derek De La Haye said that his side has “made enormous progress” following their crushing defeat on away soil last year.
“Obviously we were really disappointed last year,” he said.
“Guernsey were really strong, but we think the scoreline itself was a harsh reflection on our play.
“But to stick that behind us and go out there this year and play with the spirit they showed, it’s a real reflection on their togetherness and team spirit.
“They have made enormous progress. The hard work and dedication they have shown throughout the year and the efforts of their coaches really showed and that has to excite us going forward.
“You can see they are really a team.
“They support each other and are happy for each other when they play well and are successful.
“That has both pushed everyone forward, but also made this current group of players one of the tightest groups we have had.
“You know, when you look at the handicaps and pedigree of some of the Guernsey side, it is really impressive.
“But I think what our juniors did, was remain focused on their game and didn’t get consumed by the strength of their opponents on paper.
“We have four very good players leaving the junior section this year in Anabelle [Lucas-Villar], Ryan [Hafey], Nathan [Crake-Jones] and Ollie [Allchin] so they will be hard to replace.
“But we have players that are eager to break through and fill those positions going forward.
“These are exciting times for Jersey golf and it is important to remember that these players are the future of our game.”
The weekend proved a perfect send off for the quartet of ‘graduating’ juniors.
Lucas-Villar and Hafey teamed up in the fourballs on the opening day, sealing a 5&3 win, before the former also won 2&1 in her singles.
Hafey would earn half a point in his head-to-head tussle.
Meanwhile Allchin was in sublime form, winning his pairs 3&1 with Aiden Wilson, before a crushing 7&5 win in the singles.
Crake-Jones won his team match with Iman Hamid-Wilkinson 2&1) before a 2up win in his singles as the older heads of the group would conclude their swansong undefeated across the weekend.
Meanwhile, Jacob Townsend and Ben Carvalho claimed a narrow 1up victory over Channel Island men’s champion Conor McKenna and his partner Lewis O’Brien.
Both would finish on maximum points with emphatic wins in the singles.
Carvalho won every hole of his match against O’Brien for a 10&8 win, while Townsend secured a 6&5 win over Ollie Farmer.
Meanwhile, in the senior contest, it was one way traffic from the word go.
Despite the 5-0 scoreline from the fourballs, two of the matches went to the 17th and one up the 18th, but it was Jersey who would close out every match for the session whitewash.
Playing captain Bob Wickings said: “The pairings really gelled together brilliantly.
“Most of the pairings consisted of a Royal Jersey member and La Moye member, so there was a little bit of local knowledge there to help.
“But I think what was most evident, was the togetherness of the squad.
“A few years ago, it wasn’t perhaps as easy to stick Royal Jersey and La Moye players together, but any animosity that may have existed in years gone by is no longer there and I think that’s what makes us so incredibly strong as a collective.
“There was a great crowd out there watching both the senior and junior matches and that’s wonderful to see.
“It certainly helps spur the players on. Everyone is very proud to represent Jersey, especially in the inter-insular and when we have that home support out there watching too, it makes for a brilliant environment.”
The strength in depth is clear to see within the Jersey senior ranks.
Former professional Wayne Stephens brings with him bundles of experience at the highest level, while Phil Evans is arguably playing the best golf of his life over recent seasons, earning a spot in the Welsh senior side.
Coupled with that, Jeremy Phillips has recently met the age threshold, while continuing to be one of Jersey’s best players at the men’s level.
Wickings can also look forward to adding Simon Allchin to his side next year when the La Moye and Jersey golfer is eligible for senior golf.
Former Jersey Senior champion Paul Walters teamed up with Phillips in the fourball, beating ex-Walker Cup and amateur stalwart Bobby Eggo and his partner Paul Rodgers, before a 3&2 win in the singles over George Melhuish.
He said: “It was such a fun weekend.
“Obviously to take a 5-0 lead into the singles was perfect, but we were not complacent.
“Word started to get around the course that we were on top in the early matches and that kept our tails up to win as many matches as possible.
“The atmosphere around the whole course was brilliant.
“Across the junior and senior teams, with both of us winning, there was a really nice feeling in the Jersey camp and it was so nice to be a part of.”
Senior Inter-Insular (Jersey named first)
Fourballs
(2&1) T Gray/P Horgan vs W Anees/T Halden
(2&1) M Le Feuvre/B Wickings vs N Vaudin/G Melhuish
(3&2) P Walters/J Philips vs B Eggo/P Rodgers
(1up) P Evans/M Hesford vs M Marley/ N Tanguy
(5&3) W Stephens/G Kean vs G Falla/A Ralph
Jersey 5-0 Guernsey
Singles
(7&6) J Phillips vs T Halden
(4&3) M Le Feuvre vs B Eggo
(5&4) P Evans vs M Marley
(A/S) T Gray vs N Vaudin (A/S)
(2&1) B Wickings vs N Tanguy
(5&4) P Horgan vs P Rodgers
(3&2) P Walters vs G Melhuish
(3&2) M Hesford vs A Ralph
(5&4) G Kean vs G Falla
(6&4) W Stephens vs W Anees
Jersey 9.5 – 0.5 Guernsey
Overall: Jersey 14.5 – 0.5 Guernsey
Junior Inter-Insular (Jersey named first)
Fourballs
(5&3) A Lucas-Villar/R Hafey vs J Troop/J Neville
(3&1) O Allchin/A Wilson vs J Tucknott/C Czarnecki
(2&1) I Hamid-Wilkinson/N Crake-Jones vs N Davy/T Chamberlain
H Zeale/B Carnegie Bedlow vs A Mills/O Farmer (2&1)
(1up) J Townsend/B Carvalho vs C McKenna/L O’Brien
Jersey 4-1 Guernsey
Singles
(A/S) H Zeale vs J Tucknott (A/S)
A Wilson vs J Troop (1up)
I Hamid-Wilkinson vs A Mills (5&4)
(2&1) A Lucas-Villar vs T Chamberlain
(6&5) J Townsend vs O Farmer
(A/S) R Hafey vs N Davy (A/S)
(10&8) B Carvalho vs L O’Brien
B Canegie-Bedlow vs C McKenna (6&5)
(2up) N Crake-Jones vs J Neville
(7&5) O Allchin vs C Czarnecki
Jersey 6-4 Guernsey
Overall: Jersey 10-5 Guernsey
