Garry McFarlane knocks out defending champion Jack Mitchell. (Pictures by Daniel Guerin, 0583122)
THE defending champion has gone, but there were no shocks as the Island Championship quarter-finalists were decided last night.
Jack Mitchell’s reign may have ended, but it was certainly no disgrace to lose to Garry McFarlane, who maintained his remarkable form with a 4 and 3 win over his L’Ancresse clubmate. But on a night when all bar one of the matches had finished by the 16th, it was an epic encounter between two Guernsey regulars that caught the eye.
From as early as the sixth hole, it was obvious the clash of Jamie Blondel and Nigel Vaudin was going to go down to the wire. It did that and more as the handshake finally came on the 21st green long after sunset.
Vaudin emerged victorious as his opponent became the only seed to be knocked out yesterday, but it was a tale full of dramatic twists and wonderful golf.
The man from the Royal was behind for only one hole all night, quickly winning the third after Blondel had edged into an early lead on the previous par four.
There were chances for both throughout, a particular highlight being the 11th, halved in terrific threes, but the real drama began as they became the first pair to step onto the 17th tee.
Vaudin was dormy two, Blondel went for broke and nailed a perfect drive virtually pin high on the green.
His subsequent two putts for birdie took them to the last and he again found the putting surface, 30-plus feet to the left of the flag, while Vaudin pushed his tee shot into the rough on the right.
The former champion played a peach of a chip, though, which finished close enough for Blondel to examine for a while before sportingly picking it up, meaning that he had to hole his birdie putt to stay alive.
It looked good all the way and with several feet still to roll Blondel’s urge of ‘get in’ confirmed that extra holes were going to be necessary.
Both kept their nerve excellently on the 19th and 20th, which were halved in pars, before Blondel hit a great-looking iron straight at the pin on the third, but it was just long.
Vaudin followed with a cracking four-iron that finished within 15ft.
A delicate flop shot left Blondel with five feet remaining and he seemed to have a reprieve when Vaudin decelerated on his effort to leave it short, but the L’Ancresse man’s par putt lipped out and Vaudin was through.
‘The last time I played Jamie I was three up with four to play and he took me to the 19th and won. When he sank that putt on 18th I thought the writing was on the wall again,’ Vaudin said.
‘But fair play to him for making it and on 17 he took it on and got his reward.
‘I could have done without this,’ he added with a chuckle as he, Blondel, a caddy and the five remaining spectators made the long trek back to the clubhouse.
Earlier, the Eggo brothers had both won on the 13th hole and Danny Bisson needed just one more to book his quarter-final against Vaudin.
Danny Vennard, Mick Marley and Steve Mahy are also through to the last eight.
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