TWO former team-mates go head-to-head this weekend as captains of their counties when Hampshire host Surrey at Hayling (writes Andrew Griffin).

For Colin Roope, a former Hindhead and Farnham member who is now at Blackmoor, victory against the reigning South-East League champions will hand his team a place in the final at Abingdon’s Frilford Heath, in October.

And the 36-year-old company director is in the form of his life, having beaten the best of Hampshire’s club professionals and many of their top amateurs to win the Hampshire Open at Hayling just two weeks ago.

Surrey captain Kieran Lovelock had the satisfaction of beating a Hampshire team containing former county champion Roope at his home course at Hindhead last summer.

Surrey went on to claim the South Division title before beating Essex to win the Daily Telegraph Salver for a record 15th time in the competition’s 54-year history. Hampshire have taken the trophy nine times.

This year, results have not gone so well for Lovelock, who took over from fellow club member David Corben, who splits his time between his St Albans home and Hindhead, where he has honed a reputation as one of the toughest weekend amateurs to face in the country.

Lovelock knows only victory can keep alive his team’s hopes of defending their Telegraph title – and they need to win as many of the 12 points on offer as possible.

A repeat of the 7-5 scoreline from last season, when the visitors’ singles order struggled on the back nine at Hindhead, is unlikely to be enough.

Any win could thwart Hampshire’s hopes of winning the Salver for the first time since 2012. But a Surrey success could still see Hampshire progress – depending on the result between Dorset and 12-time winners Kent, who meet at Bridport on Sunday, and results in the final pair of games later this month when Surrey play Kent at Prince’s.

Hampshire thrashed Kent 101/2-11/2 at Shanklin in May, and came from behind to beat Sussex 81/2-31/2 at Littlehampton last month, having escaped from Dorset with a draw, thanks to Roope’s win on the last as last man out in early May.

Lovelock cannot wait to face his former team-mate at Hayling, where he was once a junior member.

Lovelock won the Surrey Junior Order of Merit while Roope claimed Hampshire’s equivalent at the first attempt in 2016.

Lovelock’s Surrey also drew with Dorset at Hankley, but they suffered a 7-5 defeat against Sussex at Kingston’s Coombe Hill.

“The season so far has been disappointing from a results perspective, but I couldn’t have asked any more from the players,” said Lovelock.

“Both matches have come down to games seven and eight in the singles, and unfortunately we have come out on the losing side both times. Last year, we won three games by no more than two points, so it just shows sometimes it goes for you and sometimes it doesn’t. We will be giving what we know is a very good Hampshire side a real tough game.

“Hayling is a fantastic track and will no doubt be playing tricky with the firm conditions. I have some great memories of the place as a junior member. It will be great going up against Roopey, who I used to play with a lot when we were both members at Hindhead.

“It’s been great to see him rediscover his love for the game after a spell trying to make it in the professional ranks. My own form this year has been a bit patchy as I haven’t been able to play a full schedule having been hampered by a wrist injury –but I do plan to play against Hampshire.”

Both captains will have one eye on the English Amateur at Formby this week – if of any their players reach the last eight, they may have to sit out Sunday’s showdown, although Lovelock has Corben firmly pencilled in his line-up along with top US college player Max O’Hagan.

Roope is without Spain Amateur champion Billy McKenzie, who played in last week’s Pacific Coast Amateur Championship at San Francisco’s Olympic Club, which hosted the 2012 US Open.

He will be hoping he can pair his Shanklin stars Conor Richards – one of the top NAIA ranked players in American college golf in 2017/18 – and clubmate Jordan Sundborg – a member of the all-conquering Stirling University team who are the British and European champions.

Sundborg entered the English Amateur hoping to emulate Harry Ellis’s win in 2012 while Scott Gregory reached the final in 2014 and the last eight in 2015 and semi-final last year.

Hampshire squad: Colin Roope (Blackmoor) capt, Martin Young (Brokenhurst Manor), Tom Robson (Rowlands Castle), George Saunders (Meon Valley), Jordan Sundborg, Conor Richards (Shanklin & Sandown), Toby Burden (Hayling), Jordan Stokes (La Moye).