TRIBUTES continue to be paid to Davy Jones, the reigning Isle of Man golf champion who lost his life in a motorcycle accident last week.
The popular 33-year-old plumber from Ramsey was a keen competitor in a number of sports, and former team-mates from his golf and rugby club have spoken about Davy’s standing in the Manx sporting world.
Davy died after his motorbike collided with a bin wagon on the Cronk-y-Voddy straight early on Tuesday morning, just days after winning the Will Kirkpatrick Cup at Rowany Golf Club, and ahead of defending his 2011 title at next weekend’s Isle of Man Open Golf Championship.
Ramsey Golf Club captain David Ball said: ‘Davy was a fine ambassador of Ramsey Golf Club, and the Isle of Man as a two-time island champion. He was a key figure of the club; he was the best golfer. There were a few people challenging him, but he was up for that.
‘His dad Ron was a former captain and president of the club, so Davy spent a lot of time here as a young kid. Ron encouraged him young, taking him down Mooragh Park where the rugby pitch is now, working on his swing while his sister would have to collect the balls!’
Ramsey Rugby Club’s Mickey Melvin said: ‘Everyone got on with him, he was a sound, loveable guy. Sometimes he missed some of the social side of rugby as he’d be off to Douglas after a game to work on the doors, but he would do anything for anyone, and I have honestly not heard a cross word ever said about him.
‘He played for Ramsey first team for most of his career, playing as a second row, but he stepped up to prop later on when the club needed him to. He hadn’t played much for the last couple of seasons, but this year we rang him off the cuff as we needed front row for an away game [Ramsey play in an English league and travel to the UK for away games] and he was up for it. He was a strong, hard, physical guy. You loved having him alongside you because he would fight your corner.
‘Golf was his main sport though. After rugby games with Ramsey in the UK he would sometimes stay over and play in a golf tournament the next day. He always tried to fit as much into life as he could.’
Mikey added: ‘He would have a go at everything, he did boxing for a few years, did the End 2 End mountain bike race a couple of times, and he had just bought a race bike to have a go with up at Jurby.
‘He threw himself into everything with a sense of fun.
‘I did mountain biking with him; we were always picking him out of hedges, and you could always hear him laughing.’