Ben to end eight year wait to defend title

Ben St John will begin his defence of the English PGA Championship - eight years after he won the title.

The Woodcote Park Golf Club PGA professional will tee off in the South B qualifying event at Canterbury Golf Club in Kent on May 1.

St John won the crown in its one and only year in 2010 when he finished top of the leaderboard at Goodwood.

He won the 54-hole tournament with a four-under-par score of 209.

St John and some of the South’s best PGA professionals will be aiming to make it to the final which is being held at Saunton Golf Club in Devon between 27-29 June.

The event has not been held since until now and the Surrey-based 38-year-old is keen to pick up where he left off.

“I’m looking forward to the event, especially as I’m the reigning champion,” he said.

“I’d love to get back to the final and try to defend it, but I have to qualify first so a lot of things need to fall into place.

“I’m delighted it’s back on the calendar, there is a Scottish PGA Championship and a Welsh event, so why not the English PGA Championship?

“It’s been a long wait to try and defend it.”

St John admits things are different now compared to when he landed the Championship.

“I’m obviously older, and I haven’t played as much over the last three to four years because of injuries and life in general,” he said.

“I have a one year old son now, so I might stay over the night before to get a good night’s sleep!

“But I can still get it around a course. I’ve been to the final of the PGA Pros’ since and the English Championship final will be at Saunton which is a course I know well."