Kent Golf Limited
Kent Men's Amateur Championship 2025 report
Date published: 3 Jun 2025
Chart Hills were our generous hosts for the 2025 Kent Men’s Amateur Championship and the course was presented in beautiful condition for our 72 players as they assembled on Friday morning for the 36-hole scratch medal. Quick out of the blocks was Max Moseley (Knole Park) with a four-under par 68, with Lucas Dennison (Rochester & Cobham), Michael Vandenberg (Canterbury), George Edwards (Prince’s), and Kieran Parkins (Sundridge Park) one shot further back. Also breaking par were Dan Cooke (Canterbury) and Luke Jenkins (Rochester & Cobham) on 70, with a further seven players one shot back on 71. Harrison Jones (Wrotham Heath) blazed a trail in the afternoon with a best-of-the-day 67, a score that was matched by Dan Cooke, which was good enough to give Dan the best gross 36-hole total of 137 (-7) and the Scratch Cup. There was a 68 from Conor Byers (Langley Park) and a pair of 69s from the defending champion, Lee Carew (Chelsfield Lakes), and his clubmate, Jake Potter. George Edwards (Prince’s) added a 70 to his fine morning round to finish on 139 (-5) and took the Simpson Cup for lowest 36-hole total for a player under the age of 25. A further four players broke par in the afternoon, and on such a good scoring day – and with only the top 16 making it through to the matchplay stages - it was quite an achievement to make the cut. Fifteen players finished on 146 (+2) or better and were safely through, but for the five players on 147 (+3) the countback rule would decide their fate. The lucky man taking the final spot was the recently-crowned Mid-Age champion, Liam Burns (Chislehurst), with Ben Pullen (Sheerness), Jordan Hall (Wrotham Heath), and the Rochester & Cobham pair of Nick Panting and Luke Jenkins just missing out. The winner of the Astor Cup for the lowest nett score was won by Kieran Parkins on nett 134 (-10) and the Team Competition was won by Chelsfield Lakes who were represented by Lee Carew, Josh Dugard and Jake Potter.
As we moved into Saturday’s matchplay stages, the sun started shining in earnest, and we were equally dazzled by some wonderful golf from our talented bunch of players. By strange coincidence there was a repeat of last year whereby the top seed was beaten in the first round by Liam Burns; Dan Cooke being the unfortunate man this time going down by a score of 2&1. Michael Vandenberg advanced by edging past Kieran Parkins on the home green, and Conor Byers scraped through on the first extra hole against the 2023 champion, Danny Jones (Wildernesse). There was a trio of 4&3 victories – Jack Read (Royal Blackheath) over Harrison Jones, William Partner (Sene Valley) over Lee Carew, and Josh Waters (The London Club) over Jake Potter – and a 4&2 win by George Edwards against Max Moseley. Completing the round one results was Lucas Dennison, who beat Oliver Lewis-Perkins (Mid Kent) by a score of 2&1. After a spot of lunch, it was back out onto the course for the quarter-finals, and after a nip-and-tuck affair, Liam Burns prevailed against Michael Vandenberg on the eighteenth green. Conor Byers overcame Jack Read by a score of 3&1, and Lucas Dennison continued his campaign with an impressive 4&3 victory over Josh Waters. In the final game on the course, George Edwards pushed William Partner all the way but couldn’t quite get past him as William won by 1 hole. So, with our two semi-finals promising much excitement, we all looked forward to Sunday and finding out who would be our County Champion for 2025.
Sunday dawned fair and bright but was accompanied by a strong blustery wind that would provide a stern test for the last four men standing. In the first semi-final, between Liam Burns and Conor Byers, first blood went to Conor as he moved 1up after the second hole, but his lead didn’t last long as Liam pegged him back with a birdie on the next and followed with another on the fourth to move 1up himself. Conor won the long par 3 seventh to level matters once again, and there was no change until Liam nosed in front after a stunning eagle on the twelfth. He also won the next, and with each player matching the other with pars over the next four holes, Liam closed out the match on the seventeenth green by a score of 2&1. In the second semi-final, between William Partner and Lucas Dennison, Lucas made the faster start by claiming the first two holes. William halved the deficit on the third only to give it straight back on the fourth, and Lucas would move further ahead after a solid par on the eighth. After winning two more holes early in the back nine, Lucas had a lead of 5up with six to play, but then the tide turned and the game was well and truly on. A couple of pars on thirteen and fourteen were enough for William to get back to only 3 down before Lucas steadied the ship with a half on fifteen. A birdie on sixteen from William reduced the deficit further, and after Lucas came to grief on the watery par 3 seventeenth, his lead was down to only 1up as they approached the final hole. With nerves jangling and the momentum against him, Lucas held himself together and made a solid par, which was good enough to give him the win by a score of two holes. An exciting game for players and spectators alike. We now had our final – Liam Burns v. Lucas Dennison.
At 1pm, the players made their way to the tee and were started off on their quest to win the magnificent Championship Cup. As is often the way in a final, it was a cagey start, with the first three holes being halved in par. Liam edged ahead on the fourth with a birdie and then had another on the sixth to move to 2up. But then his usual steady play seemed to desert him, and Lucas won the next four holes with pars to turn the match on its head and take a 2up lead of his own. And Lucas wasn’t done yet. Just as Liam settled down and looked like threatening again, Lucas’ putter turned red-hot and three birdies on the spin from the eleventh put him 5up with five holes left to play. Liam made a fighting birdie on 14 to extend the match and also nicked the fifteenth after an unexpected three-putt from Lucas. Despite the spectators wishing the excitement could continue for a bit longer, Liam’s birdie attempt on sixteen slid agonisingly past the hole, and Lucas won by a score of 3&2 and became our 2025 County Champion. Many congratulations, Lucas, for a super performance over all three days. You are a very worthy winner, and we look forward to seeing you defend your title next year at Littlestone.
A heartfelt thank you goes to our County Presidents, Marilyn Brown and Chris Reynolds, who both attended all six days of our special celebration week, which was rounded off in style by the crowning of our two new Champions, Skye and Lucas. Equally, we are indebted to our team of referees and volunteers who give so much of their time to our events; without them, we simply couldn’t do what we do. They are special people and much valued by us all at Kent Golf.
Finally, we are extremely grateful to the team at Chart Hills for accommodating us for both of our Amateur Championships this year, and we hope it is not too long before we can return and enjoy your beautiful course and hospitality once again.
2025 Kent Amateur Champion - Lucas Dennison (Rochester & Cobham Park)
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