CHANNEL Islands golfers defeated their Hampshire County counterparts in the inaugural match between the two teams at the Royal Jersey Golf Club at the weekend.

In superb conditions, the hosts won by 81/2 points to 31/2 having giving themselves a fantastic platform by winning Saturday afternoon’s foursomes matches 4-0.

Stunned This left the CI requiring two-and-a-half points from Sunday morning’s eight singles for victory and despite collecting only one point from the opening four matches, the CI’s tail wagged with a further three wins and a half in the final four pairings to win the match.

Jersey Golf Union president Geoff Ramskill said: ‘It was a great win; Hampshire were stunned to be 4-0 down overnight and I think they came here really expecting to win.

‘It was a wonderful experience for our golfers, usually it’s just the match against Guernsey to look forward too but this is now a regular match alternating between the islands and Hampshire and that will be excellent for our players.

‘Hampshire’s golfers and officials will have gone away realising that Channel Islands golf is not just a backwater.

All bar two of the golfers on show were scratch players or below and that’s proof of the level of the ability of them all.

‘Hampshire play Dorset in an inter-county league match at Royal Jersey the weekend after next and I’m confident Hampshire will include some CI players in their team.

‘It was a fantastic weekend of golf last weekend and many caught the eye.

Guernsey’s Nigel Vaudin had two excellent wins, in the foursomes with Paul Le Chevalier and then in the singles where he beat former English amateur champion Kevin Weeks.

‘Shot of the weekend was by Hampshire’s Mark Burgess; at the longest par-five in the Channel Islands he managed to score an albatross which was a fantastic feat.’ The CI’s James Birch and Christy McLaughlin performed exceptionally well to defeat current Hampshire foursomes champions Kevin Week and Ryan Henley 4 and 3.

La Moye’s Richard Ramskill and Craig Neilson won 5 and 4 against Jon Young and Mark Burgess having played some brilliant golf in the middle part of their round.

In the singles, McLaughlin was beaten at the last hole while Matthew Parkman lost by the same score despite scoring a birdie-3 at the last a feat matched by opponent Ryan Henley who sank a sizeable putt.

Neilson sank a 20-foot putt on the 18th to halve his match while Paul Le Chevalier’s 2 and 1 win guaranteed the CI victory overall.

Ramskill and Burgess both carded several birdies in their encounter.

CI team manager Steve Bowen said: ‘To win the foursomes 4-0 and then win the singles was a fantastic achievement.

The team played well; they should all be extremely proud of themselves.’ Foursomes (CI golfers named first): Gavin O’Neill and Matthew Parkman beat Martin Young, Stuart Archibald 1-up.

James Birch, Christy McLaughlin bt Ryan Henley, Kevin Weeks 4 and 3.

Paul Le Chevalier, Nigel Vaudin bt Mark Bell, Toby Burden 2 and 1.

Richard Ramskill, Craig Neilson bt Jon Young, Mark Burgess 5 and 4.

Singles: McLaughlin lost to Young 1-down.

Parkman lost to Henley 1-dn.

Vaudin bt Weeks 3 and 2.

Birch lost to Archibald 3 and 1.

Neilson bt Burden 1-up.

Le Chevalier bt Bell 2 and 1.

Ramskill bt Burgess two-up.

O’Neill halved with Young.