Kent lead the way

Kent surged to an impressive halfway lead in the PGA of England & Wales Inter-County Championship at The Belfry.

Scott Stevens (right), Thomas Muchmore (middle) and Peter Appleyard (left) posted a four under par team total over the blustery par 71 PGA National Course.

It kept them five shots clear of Lincoln (+1) and eight shots better than Yorkshire and Devon who were both tied on +4.

The best two rounds from each trio qualify.

Stevens and Muchmore thought they had done enough to effectively grab the clubhouse lead for Kent, both firing one under par rounds.

Then Appleyard finished in the last group with a three under 68 to extend the team’s lead.

The Sittingbourne Golf pro said: “It was windy out there today. The priority was to keep the ball in play and hope that a few putts went in.

“And I did not want to let the team down.

“I was pleased with my score, I was just a little disappointed with the par fives. I didn’t play them well so I could have done better.”

The wind direction changed during the round and was gusting which made playing conditions tough.

Stevens managed four birdies in his 71 – but was rueing his finish.

“I dropped a shot down the last. I found a bunker and didn’t have a lie where I could have a go at the green so I had to lay up.

“But generally I was really pleased with the round.”

Muchmore’s putting and iron play was the key to his round. The Ashford pro has won twice this season including a play-off victory in Poland – the Gradi Invitational - which he only entered at the last minute.

He said: “A friend invited me to play a pro-am in Wroclaw. There was a tournament on the next day, I entered and won.”