ALMOST 20 years after his first victory in the competition, Bill Dunne (pictured) won his second L’Ancresse Open title on Saturday. The 12-handicapper from the Royal Guernsey shot an excellent gross 76 in blustery conditions in the afternoon to overtake long-time leader Wayne Moore and claim first place by three strokes.
On a day when the weather certainly played a part, Dunne was one of those who benefited from going out later, yet they were still far from easy scoring conditions.
‘When I used to play off two or three, I did know how to control the ball and yesterday I just told myself to keep it under the wind,’ he said the day after his triumph. The 65-year-old admitted that he did not know what the leading score was when he went out at around 4pm.
‘I don’t even mess about with things like that. The way I do it is just to say the first is a par four, try and get a four and continue like that. As it happens, yesterday I got a three [at the first],’ Dunne said.
That was one of three birdies on the front nine as he went out in 38.
‘On the back nine I was really pleased. I dropped three shots but the rest were solid pars.’
Dunne also had birdie chances at 16 and 17 before getting up and down from the front right of the 18th green for a finishing par.
Despite being restricted to playing to about once a week because of arthritic knees, he said he knew he had a round like that in him.
‘It’s just a case of dragging it out of me, but I do seem to peak at this time,’ he added with a chuckle.
Dunne also thanked the sponsor, Investec, for their support of the popular event and the efforts of the greenkeepers.
‘I did congratulate Marcus [Hamon, the head greenkeeper]. It is really good because we have had a very dry spell and it must be very difficult for them to get it right, but the course does look good.’
Members of the greenkeeping staff certainly put their knowledge of the course to good use.
Head man Hamon, one of the early starters, was the first to post a level-par net round thanks to a gross 79.
But it was young Moore who ended as bridesmaid in both the handicap and the scratch standings.
Playing off six, he shot a remarkable 73 in the difficult morning conditions.
The highlight of his front nine was a two at the seventh, but four bogeys – at the second fourth, fifth and ninth – meant that he reached the turn in 38.
Another five at the 10th put him four over par, but that was as high as he would get.
A couple of pars at the 11th and 12th were followed by a birdie three at 13 and another at 15.
The one remaining blot on his card was to come up at the 17th, but a par finish saw him lead for most of the day.
The two other sub-par rounds came from Chris Le Tissier, who was following Moore around in the morning, and Nigel Garrard.
They both posted a net 69, with Le Tissier’s round including two twos on the outward par threes.
Meanwhile, as predictable as Alan Hansen forecasting Liverpool to win the FA Cup every January, Bobby Eggo was yet again the scratch trophy winner.
A 72 was enough to beat Moore by a stroke and it was the 13th time Guernsey’s best ever golfer has taken the spoils in that competition – six of which have come in the last seven years.
Former island champion Nigel Vaudin matched Moore’s gross 73 while fellow Guernsey regular Jamie Blondel carded a 74.
Article posted on 4th August, 2008 - 2.29pm
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