Tenterden hope to make it back to Turkey

Tenterden Golf Club captain Richard Smith wants to help his partner make up for a disappointment in last year’s PGA Pro-Captain Challenge.

Smith will be playing in the second South regional qualifier alongside PGA Professional Richard Silman (pictured), who made it to last year’s final and came close to winning it.

But an impressive finish by Ian Walley and Adrian Shaw, representing Shirland Golf Club, denied Silman victory with last year’s captain Steve Parsons.

Now Silman is going for it again with Smith at Kings Hill Golf Club on Monday 2 September.

The Kent duo will be aiming to make it through to the £25,000 Golfplan Insurance PGA Pro-Captain Challenge final, supported by Canopius, over the PGA Sultan course at Antalya Golf Club, Turkey, from November 21-22.

And Smith says he will be hoping to steer a path back to the final for Silman.

He explained: “There was a lot of interest in the competition at the club last year; it was great that Richard and Steve got there because it raised our profile.

“But when I took over, Richard joked with ‘You’ve got a hard act to follow!’

“Richard wants to get back to the final but we know it’ll very difficult. That’s the aim though so we’ll be giving it our best shot.”

Retired restaurant owner Smith, 58, plays off a handicap of nine and has already taken at look at the Kings Hill venue.

He said: “I’d never played there before so I’ve had a practice round and I hope that’ll help us, but it’s going to be a big field and it’ll be difficult.”

Silman admitted he was frustrated by the way last year’s Turkey showpiece ended.

He said: “We looked like we were going to win it, but then the eventual champions finished with an eagle and two birdies.”

Other teams taking part at Kings Hill include Paul Simpson and Rocky Rowe (West Berkshire); Matthew Stock and Graham Loveless (Surrey National); Alan Harrison and Robin Hawgood (Royal Eastbourne); Justin Barnes and Andrew Mills (Oxfordshire); Martin Daniels and Robert Brack (Gillingham); and Anthony Killik and Peter Buckingham (Brighton & Hove).