By Matthew Panting

Matt Ford's gamble to play in the M2M Russian Challenge Cup paid off last weekend after finishing joint second – his best-ever result – on the European Challenge Tour.

The Bearsted golfer, pictured, paid £200 for a visa two weeks ago – even though he didn’t have an invite at the time – but it proved a wise move as the call came a week later offering him the chance to compete in his fourth Tour event of the season.

Ford said: "It was a gamble but it paid off. I had played in three events this season but I needed one more for my prize money to count in the Order of Merit.

"I knew that it might be a short field in Russia as there are sometimes visa difficulties and some people don’t want to go."

Ford, 32, took his chance with a final round 66 seeing him finish joint second, one shot behind winner Carlos Del Moral and win 14,000 euros prize money.

His success means he has moved up to 53rd in the Challenge Tour moneylist and virtually guaranteed his Challenge Tour card for next year.

He is now hoping to finish in the top 45, which will put him straight into the final round of qualifying school for the main Tour as well as a place at the end-of-season Grand Tour in Italy.

Ford, who plays in the Kent PGA Championships on Friday at Cherry Lodge, Biggin Hill, returns to Challenge Tour action in the Toulouse Open next month.