Europe's top golf stars descend on Kent today for the start of the European Open championship.

Golfing star Colin Montgomerie will be defending his European Open title at the London Golf Club in Kent.

The Scot admits he has never played the course near Brands Hatch competitively before and is looking forward to the challenge.

He said: "This is a whole new start here, everyone's raving about the course and its condition."

Spaniard Sergio Garcia will use the event as his only warm-up for The Open at Royal Birkdale later this month and believes the course represents a good test ahead of the links season. He said: "If you hit the ball a bit off-line, you're still fine, the rough isn't too bad. But if you start spraying it around, then you're going to struggle in this high grass."

There is local Kent interest in the shape of Ashford's Benn Barham. He was due to tee off at around 7.40am.

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