Kentish Express Ashford & District
Muchmore helps propel Kent to inter-county success
Golf
Kent swept to an impressive six-shot victory in the PGA of England & Wales Inter-County Championship showpiece at The Belfry.
Ashford professional Tom Muchmore, Peter Appleyard and Scott Stevens proved the dominant force from start to finish in the £10,000 event. They finished clear winners on nineunder-par, six shots ahead of runners-up Lincolnshire.
However, while all went well on the course, Kent and Muchmore in particular, had problems off it.
He walked off the 18th on Wednesday, after his second sub-par round, fearing he could be the first player hit with a fine – despite winning a major national event.
“I forgot my suit,” he revealed. “I had to have it sent from home by courier. Paying for delivery seemed a better option than paying a fine.”
The team’s issues didn’t end there, as an error in the PGA regional office meant they couldn’t perform in team colours, which led to a quick visit to the pro shop for replacements – the trio believing their Kent outfit was in a warehouse somewhere in the county.
Rivals Hertfordshire played in a strip provided by Ryder Cup vice-captain Ian Poulter.
Stevens, professional at The Ridge in Sutton Valence near Maidstone, said: “It’s a great event and we are proud to have won it. We are glad to have brought the trophy back to the region. We did the ground work on the first day. Conditions were difficult, so a four under par team score was pleasing.
“Even with an advantage going into day two, you knew there were plenty of good players out there so the aim was to try and shoot around par. I would have been one under if it hadn’t been for the last hole but Tom played well again and Peter had two great rounds.”
Sittingbourne-based Appleyard produced the lowest round on day one, firing a 68 over the PGA National Course on Tuesday, going one better 24 hours later.
Yorkshire finished on 12 over, Devon a shot further back, while smartly dressed Hertfordshire were fifth on 17 over.
Appleyard added: “We were under pressure to perform because the South region won it last year.
“We would have got some serious stick had we had not defended it.”
Charlie Wilson and Benn Barham tied for second place behind winner James Ablett in the PGA Sandwich Links Championship Pro-Am at Princes last week.
Littlestone’s Wilson and Tenterden-based Barham, director of golf at Pentland Golf, both finished on six under par 138 winning £850 each, trailing Ablett by six shots.