Girl power in PGA Kent Closed Championship
10/05/2016
Sian Evans from Kings Hill is the new PGA Kent Closed Champion after winning a four-way play-off of Kent’s rising stars after all tied on 70 at Lydd Golf Club.
On a sunny, dry and warm day and with the New Romney course in excellent condition, Evans along with Adam Clough from PGolfCoaching@Pedham, Littlestone’s Charlie Wilson and Jordan Godwin (Barnehurst) all managed to negotiate Lydd’s challenging links with cards of one-under-par.
Two-under-par after three holes and one-over after 13, Evans’ dramatic birdie par birdie finish squeezed her onto the podium. Clough was another who fought back in the last few holes; one-over after 12 he birdied the 15th and 16th to join his three other colleagues.
Wilson looked very promising at the halfway point after three birdies on the front nine, but a dropped shot at the 10th and then a calamitous double bogey at the par five 15th undid all his good work. A terrific birdie on the 17th was good enough to get him back to the top of the leaderboard.
One-under at the turn, Godwin bogeyed the 12th but repaired the damage with a birdie at the 16th to ensure a place in the play-off, in which Evans emerged the victor, with a marvellous up and down from the greenside rough and the only par and the title.
The tournament is the result of the close co-operation between The PGA in Kent, the Kent Golf Union and Lydd Golf Club which ensures that the county’s top amateurs have the chance to mix it with PGA Professionals under tournament conditions.
Lydd’s owners stepped up to that particular plate two years ago by agreeing to host the new event for the first three years, with the club being promoted as the ‘Host Venue to The PGA in Kent Closed Championship’.
The PGA in Kent Secretary, Sam Smith said: “This event is proving to be a great opportunity for the county’s top amateurs to compete directly against their professional peers. It is not only creating greater ties between the Kent Golf Union and The PGA, but also helping to promote golf in Kent.”
The new champion was delighted to have proved herself to be a worthy winner, saying: “I was pretty pumped up after finishing as well as I did, but the four-way play-off was pretty daunting. All the same, I somehow managed to come out on top!
“I’d very much like to thank Lydd for allowing us to hold this event at their club, and for getting the course into such good condition. Winning this championship represents a major milestone for me, and I’ll be working hard to ensure my game keeps moving forward.”
