The semi-finals of the men’s and women’s Grant Thornton Isle of Man Golf Championships took place on a sunny but blustery evening at Ramsey Golf Club on Thursday.

Men’s Semi-Finals

Of the four semi-finalists, only Tom Gandy had not won the men’s championship before and he was obviously keen to add his name to the coveted trophy.

Kevin Moore, Jonathan Corke and Daryl Callister were, however, just as keen to ensure that it was their name added as the winner in 2017.

Kevin Moore v Jonathan Corke

With wind into the faces of the players on the 1st hole, caution was needed and both used irons from the tee.

Kevin Moore’s found the hazard on the right and, after a drop, the best Moore would make was six to Jonathan Corke’s five.

However, the tricky pin combined with the wind on the 3rd meant the Moore’s four was good enough to square the match.

Finding the ditch on the 4th off the tee and a penalty drop left Corke making five to Moore’s two-putt par which left Moore 1 up after four holes.

Corke birdied the 5th and 6th to go 1 up and with a good up-and-down on the 7th for par, he was 2 up after seven.

This was quickly pegged back to 1 up after Moore’s par at the 8th, only to go back to 2 up to Corke following a good chip and run to win the 9th with a par three.

The 10th was halved in fours but, thanks to a chip-in from the fringe on 11th, Corke soon moved 3 up.

Both players missed the green on the 12th and the hole was halved in fours before Moore’s solid par four on the 13th was good enough to reduce Corke’s lead to two holes.

After three shots on the par-five 14th, Moore was safely on the green but Corke was stymied behind a rather large tree and manufactured a lovely low pitch which caught a couple of leaves but left him on the edge of the green in three.

Both players made five and, after Corke made par on the 15th from the sand to match Moore’s four, Corke remained 2 up heading down the 16th.

When matches get to the last few holes anything can and will happen, and Corke’s second shot to the 16th was pulled slightly, drifting on the breeze into the left-hand bunker.

Despite playing a good shot, Corke failed to get it up and down and Moore’s par four left him only one down with two to play as the tension mounted.

Both players made three on the 17th, with Moore’s 10-footer being a game saver.

Corke’s two-putt par on the last was enough, however, to seal the match and a place in the final on Saturday.

Daryl Callister v Tom Gandy

When two best friends play against each other you know there will be mutual respect, smiles and support whatever the result, so this match had the crowd eager with anticipation of what was to come.

Pars on the first two holes eased everyone into the match but, when Tom Gandy holed a long downhill putt from the back of the tricky 3rd green for a birdie two, it was very much game on as he moved 1 up.

Both players recorded excellent birdie threes on the 4th and, despite Daryl Callister’s pars on the 5th and 6th, he was 3 down as Gandy birdied both holes to make it four birdies in a row.

Callister won the 7th with a par and, despite Gandy visiting the elephant grass on the right of the 8th off the tee, he made par to stay 2 up which is where the game stayed after nine holes.

Gandy’s second shot on the 10th airmailed the green and Callister’s comfortable par was enough to cut the lead to one hole.

The next three holes were halved in par and, on the 14th, Gandy’s iron second shot to the par five found the green just short of the flag and Callister eventually conceded the hole leaving his opponent 2 up after 14 holes.

It was back to 1 up after 15 holes and edgy fives on the 16th after both were bunkered for two left the pair playing the 17th with Gandy 1 up.

The wind was blowing right to left and, with a tight pin on the back right of the 17th, it would take a very good shot to get it close.

Neither player found the green and Gandy had the easier chip from the left-hand side as Callister was lying behind the bunker with not much room to manoeuvre.

Gandy’s chip was not hit with enough force to get it close and Callister’s delicate chip left him just off the green. Gandy’s putt missed and Callister holed for a three and a win - match all square and excitement built again.

The last hole at Ramsey is like no other: a short par-three of 146 yards to an elevated green in front of the clubhouse with steep sides to catch any errant tee shots.

Callister played first and his tee shot was just short and fell back on the slope, leaving him facing a delicate chip. Gandy played conservatively to the heart of the green some 25 feet from the pin.

Callister would need to get up and down and, sadly his chip was short of the hole. His subsequent putt shaved the hole, as did Gandy’s for his birdie but, when Callister missed his return putt, Gandy was the victor by the narrowest of margins 1 up.

Congratulations and commiserations all round but, win or lose, both Callister and Gandy showed us all how this game should be played.

So now we know the finalists for the 2017 men’s championship: Jonathan Corke, winner in 2008, a graduate of St Andrews University where he was captain of the uni team, a chartered accountant and member of the Gotland Island Games gold medal winning team.

Gandy: an England A team member, first class business degree holder and in the top 500 amateurs in the world amateur golf rankings.

They are both excellent role models and ambassadors for Isle of Man Golf and Manx sport in general, and will give us all a men’s final to be proud of. Best wishes to both.

Women’s Semi-Finals

Shirley Price v Joy Morris

The contingent of home-club supporters for Ramsey hopeful Joy Morris were joined by a group from the south to cheer Port St Mary’s lady president Shirley Price and both players started solidly, halving the 1st in sixes.

A par apiece on the 2nd then decisions to be made about club selection on the tricky 3rd where the swirling wind was causing problems. Price’s chip-in secured a win and a half on the next put her 1 up after four.

The long par-four 5th was playing downwind and Price took full advantage, nailing her second shot onto the green and holing a long putt for a great birdie to go 2 up.

Both women parred the 6th then Morris conceded the 7th after her drive found trouble and she was forced to take three off the tee.

Price was now three holes up and playing strongly, securing steady pars on the 8th, 9th and 10th to increase her lead to 6 up with eight to play.

But Morris was not yet defeated. She dug deep and held Price to a half on the 11th then won the 12th with a single putt. With the 13th halved, the match was 5 up in Price’s favour with only five holes to play.

All Price now needed was a half from one of the remaining holes to secure victory, but a bunker got in her way at the 14th and Morris’s hopes remained alive.

However, the 15th, at 402 yards off the red tees is a long par four, saw Price hit a long drive. Her par four to Morris’s five was enough to take the match 5 and 3 and earn Price a place in Saturday’s final.

Lynda Simpson v Breeshey Jansen

The interesting prospect of youth versus experience greeted the spectators following this semi-final.

Fairly matched in length off the tee, which would be victorious in the blustery wind? Reigning champion Breeshey Jansen of Douglas set off well with an early win on the 1st when Castletown’s Lynda Simpson’s iron to the green overshot its mark.

A steady par for both on the 2nd then Simpson’s bogey was enough to level the match on the 3rd where a strong gust of wind blew Jansen’s ball off the green.

Pars for both on the 4th then, with the wind behind, both players found bunkers with their second shots on the long par-four 5th. Jansen’s sand shot proved the more effective and she stood on the 6th tee 1 up.

The long-hitting teen pressed home her advantage with a par four win on the 6th, but Simpson’s excellent birdie four on the 7th brought Jansen’s lead down to one hole.

This seemed to strengthen Jansen’s resolve just as Simpson’s putting stroke let her down and Jansen won the 8th with a par after Simpson missed a ‘shortie’ for the half.

With the par-three 9th halved, Jansen was 2 up at the turn. Pars for Jansen on the 10th and 11th were enough to secure two more holes taking her to 4 up with just seven to play.

A tough challenge even for a seasoned competitor, but Simpson secured halves on the next three holes, narrowly missing a short put for a win on the 12th and lipping out on the 13th.

However, halves aren’t enough when you lie ‘dormie’ in a golf match and Jansen showed patience beyond her years as she waited for her opportunity which came at the long 15th where her par four won the game 5 and 3.

This sets up a repeat of last year’s final for Saturday when Jansen will meet Price to decide the island women’s golf championship.

Play starts at 10am with 36 exciting holes in the offing at the glorious Ramsey Golf Club. The forecast looks good, so make your plans to come along to watch some excellent golf at a terrific venue or follow the action online at www.isleofmangolf.im

Geoff Skillicorn and Dee Lewis