Gordon Brand Jnr can almost taste the bracing sea air when he gets to the sunshine island of Jersey – and the climate, the golden sands and links golf certainly seems to bring the best out of the former Ryder Cup player.
Brand Jnr will return to Jersey for the first time in five years when the Acorn Jersey Open is re-joins the European Senior Tour schedule this week at La Moye Golf Club, and he aims to draw on some magical memories from the past.
In 1986, the Bristolian claimed a record four eagle threes on his sensational card of 62 on the European Tour. Exactly 14 years later, Brand Jnr was back in the island as a senior golfer, and proceeded to rattle off seven birdies and an eagle two in a nine under par round of 62.
That earned him a five stroke lead in the first round of the Jersey Classic – a margin he managed to retain right to the 54th and final hole as he captured his first Senior Tour title.
“It’s fair to say I have a bit of history in Jersey,” smiled Brand Jnr as he recalled that fabulous shot-making which propelled him into the Channel Island hall of fame.
“I remember in 2010 that I putted extraordinarily well. Everything I looked at I seemed to hole,” he said. “Even with a healthy lead going into the last day in 2010 I didn’t change my approach in any way. It was a big ask for the others on a breezy day and they didn’t manage to make a run at me. I managed to throw in a ‘shank’ on the front nine, but my level par 72 was enough to see me home by five shots.
“It helps that I like the course and the island. I’m very comfortable on both counts and it’s great that we are going back for the Acorn Jersey Open. We need to play more competitive golf now that we are heading into June and I am fortunate in that I also enjoy doing radio commentary when I am not playing. However much I enjoy broadcasting, I love playing even more and I am looking forward to this tournament.”
Brand Jnr finished tied 21st in last week’s SSE Enterprise Wales Senior Open and he will be joined in the field by the first three home at The Celtic Manor Resort, Paul Wesselingh, Ian Woosnam and Peter Fowler.
Wesselingh, who captured his eighth Senior Tour title on Sunday, was not yet 50 when the event was last held in Jersey. He said: “It’s going to be an unknown quantity for me, but the guys tell me it’s a great course and I am looking forward to it. I am certainly going to Jersey with my confidence high after winning at Celtic Manor.”
Woosnam, who has lived on the island for many years, last played in the tournament back in 2009 and is looking forward to competing over a course he knows like the back of his hand.
Having previously taken place for 15 consecutive years from 1996-2010, the tournament will be back at its ‘home’ venue of La Moye Golf Club from Friday to Sunday, with Jersey-based finance group Acorn becoming title sponsor for the first time.
With a prize fund of £200,000, the tournament will be a Pro-Am format similar to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, with each professional joined by an amateur partner for the opening two rounds, and the leading 30 amateurs qualifying for the final round.
Jersey and La Moye Golf Club both have a proud golfing tradition, dating back to the Jersey Open which took place on The European tour from 1978-1995, with an illustrious list of champions that includes Ryder Cup players Brian Huggett, Sandy Lyle, Tony Jacklin, Bernard Gallacher, Howard Clark, Des Smyth, Christy O’Connor Jnr, Sam Torrance and Woosnam, the former Masters champion.
It was succeeded by the Jersey Seniors Classic in 1996, which in turn had an impressive roll of honour that included another Jersey resident, Tommy Horton (1997), Neil Coles (2000), Ryder Cup Captain Torrance (2005), Tony Johnstone (2008) and, of course, Brand Jnr in 2010.
