Canterbury GC general manager Roger Hyder gets the shotgun start under way
Three members attended this years Kent Legends charity day at Canterbury GC. Coming in 4th Nigel Stevenson, Russel McKelvie and chairman Dave Gregory playing with ex-Kent player Dr Julian Thompson
West Indian-born Robbie Joseph is this year’s Legends of Kent Cricket golf champion after seeing off his rivals in a photo-finish to the fourth staging of the event at Canterbury on Tuesday.
The five-handicap former fast bowler carded an impressive 38 points to finish level with perennial county favourite John Shepherd, who play of seven, but a back nine score of 22 points comfortably swung the countback in Joseph’s favour.
Right on the tail of the leading pair was all-rounder Darren Stevens, who made 37 points off a handicap of two, and 14-handicap Ben Trott, winner of the inaugural event in 2015, who finished on 36 points.
South African Heino Kuhn, in his debut season for Kent this year, came next on 35 points, with Julian Thompson, Steve Marsh, Adam Ball, Tim Wren and defending champion Chris Dale not far behind.
Consolation for former champion Trott came with victory in the team competition in which he headed Team Tottman to the narrowest of victories in a five-way tie for first place.
Trott, Dave Tottman, Sam Plews and Paul Blake accumulated 91 points, a total matched by four rivals but the countback was conclusive in their favour.
The contest for second place was much closer and needed it needed a countback over the back six to give Robbie Joseph, Ian Cusselle, Alan Bundock and Ian Munday the verdict over Darren Stevens, David McCarthy, David Neal and Adam Squires, of Axis Europe, and fourth-placed Julian Thompson, Nigel Stevenson and Russel McKelvey.
Russel McKelvie, Nigel Stevenson and Dave Gregory
Missing out on a prize despite shooting the same score of 91 points was the Richard Hills-led quartet of Tim Brett, Chris Gay and Richard Young.
Twenty-two teams, the largest entry to date, took part in the tournament which was supported by brewers Shepherd Neame and local trophy specialists City Awards.
On-course prizes were won by Heino Kuhn, with the longest drive at the seventh, Kent coach Allan Donald’s son, Oliver, with the longest drive at the 18th, and nearest-the-pinners Zac Crawley (2nd), Tim Wren (5th), Ben Trott (8th), Ben Winsor (11th) and Mike Wiles (17th).
Guest of honour was Kent and England legend Alan Igglesden, who continues to make steady progress after suffering a stroke earlier this year.
The total raised from the day was £4,000 with profits being divided between the Alan Igglesden Brain Tumour Charity and the Kent Cricket Community Foundation.