Barham claims the PGA Southern Professionals championship

Benn Barham (PGolfCoaching@Pedham) reeled off three scorching sub-par rounds of 68, 64 and 65 for a three round 19-under-par total to win the PGA Southern Professionals Championship supported by Samsung at Kings Hill.

Kent’s own local hero Barham finished three shots ahead of his nearest rivals, the defending champion Rob Gowers (South Winchester) and experienced campaigner Craig Cowper (Surrey Downs) who carded 16-under-par totals.

Barham’s stunning performance meant he lifted both the magnificent trophy and the biggest cheque of the season for £3,000, while the runners up took home £1,677.

Next in line was Barham’s nearest rival for the 2014 Virgin Atlantic Little Red PGA South Order of Merit, Chris Gane (Lefthandedgolf@Silvermere) who gained some more valuable points and banked another useful cheque for £1,000.

The first time the tournament has been played at Kings Hill near West Malling in Kent, the links style course was in magnificent condition, a point made by Barham in his winner’s speech when he said it was in ‘The best condition I’ve ever seen it in’.

The early leader was Craig Cowper with a fantastic first round of eight-under-par 64, while Barham shot 68 to be four shots off Cowper’s lead. Right on his heels were Gowers and Nicholas Olson (Chart Hills) who both carded 65s, while Gane, Tom Gamble (Burhill), Adam Wootton (Oxford Golf Centre) and Matthew Ford (C+K Group) all shot rounds of 66.

On the second day over 36 holes, Barham had 14 birdies and an eagle in shooting a magnificent second round of 64 to overhaul Cowper and then a 65 to ease away into an unassailable lead. Despite their best efforts, Cowper, Gowers and Gane couldn’t catch the former European Tour player, and as the afternoon wore on, the Kent ace was simply in a class of his own.

Commenting on his game, Barham said: “I’d been looking forward to this event as I knew the course, but I’d never seen it in such good condition. My first round left a few birdies out on the course, but the second round more than made up for that and set things up nicely for the afternoon and final round.

“My afternoon round more or less went to plan, except the bogey on the sixth after finding a poached egg lie in the bunker and not making birdies at the shorter par fives! I got a good result on Monday in the Seve Ballesteros Pro-Am at Foxhills, and felt I could keep up the good work here at Kings Hill, a course whose design and feel I really like.

“Now with this result and just two events to go, the Tylney Park Classic Finale*** and the Keith MacDonald Match Play where I’m playing Richard Wallis for a place in the final - I’m really focussing on the 2014 Order of Merit and a place in the Titleist PGA Play-Offs in Turkey.”