Kennedy finds a home from home at Chelmsford

Lloyd Kennedy heads into the PGA National Assistants’ Championship final after a year of contrasting fortunes off the course.

The Essex-based former European Tour and Challenge Tour player was forced to look for a new club at the end of 2017 - just around the time he became a father for the first time.

But Kennedy was able to join Chelmsford Golf Club and is now back on track as he comes to the end of his PGA training.

Kennedy also qualified for the English PGA final and will now play in the £32,000 Birdietime-supported Assistants’ final which will be staged at Farleigh Golf Club in Surrey between July 3-5.

He admits it has been a tough year but hopes he is now through the worst of it.

“This year’s been quite difficult and I’ve found it hard, but all in all, the PGA course has gone okay and I’m looking forward to getting it done now that I’ve finished the exams,” he said.

“I haven’t played too much, I have a young daughter now at home, Chloe, who’s just five months old and that's all been awesome, so it’s been a bit tricky to fit everything in."

But Kennedy admitted that when his time at Chigwell’s Woolston Manor Golf Course & Country Club came to an end, it was a concern for him.

“Just before Christmas, Woolston Manor were liquidated and we were made redundant, with a baby on the way, they weren’t great times, but things worked out well in the end as I grew up at Chelmsford Golf Club and I’m happy to be back,” he added.

“I was lucky that over the years I’ve collected a few good contacts, and I knew the head professional at Chelmsford.

“But it happens to a lot of people, I know I’m not the only one, but it has been very eventful over the past year.”

Kennedy admits that playing at Farleigh will be new to him.

“I’ve never been there and don’t know much about it. I will hopefully get over there before the event,” he added.

Other players from the East of England due to play at Farleigh include: Jack Winer  (Abridge Golf & Country Club); Mason Papple (Stock Brook Manor);   Will Cross (Dereham Golf Club);  Tom Maxwell (Wensum Valley Golf Club); Connor Morris (Hartswood Golf Club); David Law (Wyboston Lakes) and James Watts (Kingsway Golf Centre)