Hayling golfers could gatecrash the party at the Hampshire County Championships on their home course

Hayling's Richard Harris. Picture: Andrew Griffin.

And instead of the 16 leading players from the 36-hole qualifier on the first day, just the top four after the two rounds on Friday, September 4 will go through to the matchplay the following day.

That will put those players with experience of the tough links as clear favourites to contest the semi-finals and final.

Notably Toby Burden – the reigning Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands Amateur Champion – must have a great chance of making the final.

If he can beat off the challenge from the other 59 entrants, he will be favourite to become the first player to win the Sloane Stanley Challenge Cup back-to-back since Hockley’s Brian Winteridge in 1982.

Former county captain Martin Young claimed his third Sloane Stanley when Hayling last hosted the championship in 2016, beating Rowlands Castle’s Tom Robson in a superb final.

Young, who turned 50 earlier this year, would love to extend his record as the oldest winner.

And having come close to earning a card on the European Seniors Tour back in January, Young was reportedly swinging the club well during the first-team’s recent trip to Lincolnshire.

There are seven Hayling members in the field in total, who could all gatecrash the party, especially if the wind blows hard.

Stephen Clapp, who plays off three, and Kevin Hickman, who is off plus one, both made the knockout three years ago with the latter beating the former in the quarter-finals.

And former Portsmouth FC academy player Richard Harris – who reached the semi-finals in 2016 – recently won the Hayling Club Championship.

And with Hampshire’s top juniors in the field – including recently crowned Boys Champion James Freeman (Stoneham), South East Boys Open winner Sam West (Liphook) and Joe Buenfeld, Bramshaw’s most recent Faldo Series winner – all in the field, there is a chance of an upset.

The last teenager to win the crown was Brokenhurst Manor’s Jordan Ainley, who became the only player to win the Boys’ and Men’s championships in the same season in 2012.