Kent's leading golfer Benn Barham made a disappointing start to his European Tour season in the Abu Dhabi Championship on Thursday.

The 32-year-old Chart Hills Golf Club professional, who lives in Tenterden, struggled to a first-round six-over-par 78 which has left him with a lot of work to do to survive the cut.

He finished 110th on European Tour moneylist last year and his target this year will be to finish in the top 60 on the moneylist, which will earn him a place in the end-of-season $10M Dubai World Championship - the climax of the inaugural "Race to Dubai".

Barham said: "Everyone in the world of golf is excited about it, so much so that even some of the top American players are saying they will play more often on the European Tour this year to try to qualify for Dubai."