Getting up at four in the morning, just as his pals were getting home from their usual Saturday night out, as their text message told him, was no hindrance to Richard Larkin’s defence of his Tenterden Golf Club championship.

Richards’ work as a greenkeeper was the reason for the early start.

His winning score of 150 was five shots clear of his nearest challenger Tom Smith, and was made up of a sleepy 77 in the morning and 73 in the more difficult windy afternoon.

Tom responded to the challenge presented by scoring 72 in the afternoon, 11 shots better than his morning score. John Moir, with an afternoon score of 75, finished in third place.

The handicap section was very closely contested with no less than eight players within three shots of the winner, John Morris, who carded a net 139.

John has won a number of trophies already this year and his morning score of 77 tied with Richard as the best of the morning.

Second place went to the ever consistent Brian Smith, with two rounds of 70, exactly the same score as Ken Woodland who just lost out on countback.

Dave Barnes, 68, and Jim Jeffery, 68, featured as the winners of best morning and best afternoon rounds.

This was the third time in four years that Larkin has won, losing out to Andy Featherstone by two shots on the other occasion.