Coles shows he’s a true all-rounder

Matt Coles became the second Legends of Kent Cricket golf champion when he narrowly got the better of this year’s county beneficiary, Darren Stevens, at Canterbury on Monday. Playing off a reduced handicap of 14, the all-rounder produced two birdies – at the first and 11th holes – and was even able to enjoy the luxury of a noscore hole at the 10th as he carded 37 points. That was one point better than Stevens, playing off three, who made birdies at the third, seventh and eighth and went round in a gross 74. Third, on 35 points, was Min Patel, playing off six, while Robbie Joseph (handicap 4) was a point further back in fourth position among the 15 past and present Kent cricketers. Defending champion Ben Trott could not reproduce his form of 12 months ago and finished down the field in eighth spot. There were runaway winners of the team competition, thanks in no small way to the four-birdie 40-point haul of Canterbury’s Mark Williams, who was receiving five strokes. Williams teamed up with Kent seamer Charlie Hartley and club colleagues Rick Balcombe and David Elliott to help accumulate 90 points in the best-twofrom-four format. That put them seven points ahead of runners-up Min Patel, Stuart Bell, Paul Thorburn and Akhil Patel, who got the better of Julian Thompson, Paul Redfearn, Tim O’reilly and Bernard Disneur into third place, a single point in arrears. Fourth, on 80 points after a countback, were ex-kent captain Rob Key, young batting prospect Zak Crawley, Terry Crawley and Paul Mcmenemy. Guest speaker Paul Way, the former Ryder Cup star, featured in a beat-thepro challenge at the par-three second hole. Proceeds for the day were divided between Darren Stevens’ benefit year fund and Canterbury captain Alison Kingston’s charity, Prostate Cancer Research UK.

The winning team with Paul Way, second left, David Elliott, Mark Williams, Rick Balcombe, Charlie Hartley and Darren Stevens and bottom right, Paul Way, champion Matt Coles and Darren Stevens