Andy Eggo and match referee Peter Mudge (left) look on as opponent Steve Mahy makes an awkward putt. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0583709)
TWO multiple champions each face a golfer with the credentials to follow in their footsteps in this evening’s Island Championship semi-finals.
Another night of dramatic matches yesterday ended with an intriguing pair of last four encounters as top seed Bobby Eggo progressed to face Garry McFarlane, while Nigel Vaudin will square off against Steve Mahy.
Yet again the story of the round was provided by Vaudin. Less than 24 hours after he and Jamie Blondel were involved in a epic 21-hole battle, the man from the Royal was taken to the same lengths by Danny Bisson.
Their quarter-final really came alive when a Bisson bogey put Vaudin one up.
The number two seed’s response was excellent and on the next his approach shot hit the pin and stopped within ‘gimme’ distance.
Bisson followed that with another three at 16 and suddenly he was ahead.
Vaudin’s answer to falling behind was simply to eagle the 17th.
The next three holes were squared before, for the second day in succession, a par at the short third was enough for Vaudin to keep his campaign on track.
His next opponent, Mahy, was also involved in a fascinating battle. Up against his L’Ancresse clubmate Andy Eggo, last year’s Hampshire county finalist had to show all his fighting quality early on against some fine shotmaking from his opponent.
Eggo played the front nine in one under par, continuing his form from the previous evening to take a two-hole advantage to the turn.
But how quickly things change.
By the time they reached the 13th tee, that lead had evaporated and Mahy was ahead, having won three holes on the trot.
On 15 his approach found the centre of the green while Eggo finished just through the back and his chip pulled up still some way short.
Mahy’s first putt up the hill was underhit and left him with plenty to do, but once his opponent had missed his effort for par, he made no mistake – two up.
Allowing Eggo no further opportunities, the match ended on the 17th green.
Andy’s brother was the hottest favourite of the night but Danny Vennard made him work hard for his victory.
Both played the front nine in level par to turn all square before Eggo claimed the 10th to edge ahead.
A little while later, his second shot into 13 rivalled Bisson’s approach to 15 as shot of the day. Two more rolls and the ball would have dropped for an eagle, but the conceded birdie was enough to double his lead.
He won 15 to go dormy and Vennard offered his congratulations on the next green to leave the spectators scampering towards the one remaining match that would decide Eggo’s semi-final opponent.
McFarlane had been three up at the turn against Mick Marley, a birdie two at the seventh one of the highlights.
But the island stalwart is renowned for producing fightbacks and he won the 10th and 11th to narrow the gap to just one.
However, a badly hooked drive at 13 put him into trouble in the douit and McFarlane took advantage with a good birdie of his own.
Marley still had the humour to walk off the hole, joking that it was ‘the last time I take a three wood for safety’.
McFarlane maintained that lead through the next three holes before Marley struck again with a birdie to take it to the last, but his putt from the fringe for a two missed on the low side and the man of the moment knocked in his short par putt for the win.
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