Hurd looking for big improvement at Carden Park

Russell Hurd is hoping experience is the key to winning the Golfbreaks.com PGA Fourball Championship final over Cheshire’s Carden Park course.

The Essendon Golf Club professional is again teaming up with Mitch Kierstenson (Penfold Park Golf Course) for the £35,000 Skycaddie & BMW supported event which is being held between August 12-14.

Hurd knows the pair’s combined golfing pedigree means they bring a lot to the tournament.

Kierstenson is a European Tour and Seniors Tour player, while Hurd played for England boys with Lee Westwood 26 years ago as well as coming through the ranks with Ian Poulter who he later worked for as a sales agent.

But so far, in three final appearances, the Hertfordshire duo have failed to make the cut.

“That’s our first target,” said Hurd. “We certainly have the experience behind us when it comes to playing tournament golf.

“But so far it just hasn’t gone our way in the finals we’ve qualified for.”

Hurd was encouraged by the duo’s display in the qualifying event at Bush Hill Park in June when they finished joint top of the leaderboard with an eight-under-par round of 62.

“We did well there, I made seven birdies on the day,” he said.

“But who can say what’ll happen in the final?

“We work well together, we’ve known each other a long time and can take the Mickey out of one another if things aren’t going well.

“But we will enjoy it. Carden Park is not a venue I’ve ever played before so I’m looking forward to going there.

“We’ll be heading up there for a practice round beforehand and trying to make notes of where the pitfalls are.

“If it all comes together for us, then it’s happy days. But there’s a lot of people there who’ll be playing week in, week out at the moment.”

Other teams from the east of England taking part at Carden Park include: Mark Allen and Michael Skipper (Eaton Golf Club);  Robert McNicholas and Aaron Howard  (Saffron Walden Golf Club); Stephen Harris and Joshua Ramejkis  (The Shire London); Richard Hayden and Stuart Mason (Welwyn Garden City Golf Club); and John Sharkey and Jonathan Sharkey (Links Newmarket) Golf Club).