Defending champions Kayleigh Dawson (Peel) and Robert Noon (Mount Murray) are both on course to retain their island golf titles.

Men’s Championship

In the last-eight matchplay on Thursday evening, Noon took out eight-time champion Julian Sutton by a score of 6 and 5, including an eagle two on the par-four 7th hole. 

He will now play former winner Peter Glover (Douglas) in the last four after the latter had a tough match in the quarter-finals against in-form Ramsey man and fellow island squad member Danny Foulis, which went to the 17th with Glover winning 2 and 1.

Lewis Howland (Ramsey) started like a train against Gerald Bradley and it looked like a one-horse race, only for Bradley to drag himself back into the match on the back nine, culminating in a win on the 18th to move through to the semi-finals against Brian Duggan.

It is 14 years since Duggan teed it up in the championship after taking a break from golf but prior to that he was a serial qualifier for the matchplay stages.  

He had regularly been drawn to play his Thursday night opponent Paul Lowey (Castletown) and had never beaten him, nor got past the 14th hole. 

This latest meeting proved to be a great battle, with Duggan 2 up and Lowey bringing it back after the 18th hole therefore it was the first match of the week to go to extra holes, with Duggan eventually getting the win after 21 holes.

Women’s championship

Kayleigh Dawson (Peel) played Island Games team-mate Lynda Simpson (Castletown) in a tight match, with the defending champion being taken to the last hole before winning 2 up to progress to the semi-finals where she will play leading qualifier Emma Noon (Douglas).

Multiple island junior champion Noon, who is about to leave full-time education and move into employment, took on Diane Neale (Rowany) and produced high-calibre consistent golf to move into the semi-final where she will need the same level of performance against the defending champion.

Emma Noon will be hoping to knock out defending champion Kayleigh Dawson this evening
Emma Noon will be hoping to knock out defending champion Kayleigh Dawson this evening (Isle of Man Golf)

Tilly Davies (Ramsey) played Joy Morris (Ramsey) in what proved to be a scrappy affair, with both players not producing the golf we know they are capable of. In the end Davies ran out winner 3 and 1 to progress to play 2018 champion Shirley Price (Port St Mary).

The latter’s game was the repeat of the 2018 final against Lindsay Tickell (Douglas) and the same result, with the PSM player coming out on top and being rewarded by a match against Davies.

This leaves the possibility of a repeat of last year's final but I am certain that Noon and Davies will be determined that this will not be the case.

Matches start at 5pm later today (Friday) at Ramsey Golf Club which is a credit to the hard-working greens team.