Reigning Kent Messenger Group Sunshine Challenge golf champion Steve Sharkey has been knocked out in the first round of this year’s competition.

The 13-handicapper was beaten 2&1 by Bearsted member Ivor Graham.

The 45-year-old put up a creditable display over three rounds in the national final in Portugal last year but any hopes of successfully retaining his crown were ended by Graham, who also plays off a handicap of 13.

It had looked as if it would be a good day for Sharkey, playing at his home Farleigh Court club, when he went three up after four holes but Graham proved a dogged opponent and holed several decent putts to go into the back nine level.

Sharkey birdied the 10th to regain the lead but Graham raised his game after that and finished a worthy winner.

Sharkey said: "I played okay but didn’t have that competitive spark.

"I didn’t play golf at all during April after having an operation but fair play to Ivor, he played well. But I’ll be back next year – the Sunshine Challenge is a great competition."

The winner will represent the KM group in an all-expenses paid week during the national finals in Portugal in November.

First round results: M Spratt (h5, Birchwood Pk) beat J Walsh (h13, Tudor Park) 5&4, T Sandford (h14, Tudor Pk) beat S Jarrett (h7, Chart Hills) 6&5, M Rabenda (h16, Canterbury) lost to S Skirrow (h22, Royal Cinque Ports) 4&3, N Bedford (h9, Herne Bay) lost to B Kent (h2, Prince’s) 3&2, G Butcher (h15, Romney Warren) lost to L Foster (h8, Whitstable & Seasalter) 8&6, G Ford (h9, Deangate) lost to I Cusselle (h16, Canterbury) 3&1, P Goode (h15, Canterbury) lost to S Noble (h12, Upchurch River Valey) 1-up, J Thomas (h13, Bearsted) lost to N Brabyn (h14, Tudor Pk) 3&1, S Sharkey (h13, Farleigh Ct) lost to I Graham (h13, Bearsted) 2&1, G Harrison (h13, Gillingham) beat P Appleton (h20, Deangate Ridge) 1-up, J Hutchins (h13, Sheerness) beat T Roberton (h8, Shortlands) 1-up, G Tottman (h6, Canterbury) beat M Hobbs (h9, Sundridge Park) 8&7, S Neal (h19, Gillingham) beat T Ford (h16, Chestfield) 4&3, D Ford (h20, Bexleyheath) beat A Batther (h23, Gillingham) 5&4, P Ludlow (h13, Gillingham) beat J Humphreys (h13, Herne Bay) 6&5, J Primett (h27, Gillingham) lost to R Hutcheson (h14, Tenterden) w/o, A Mount (h14, W Malling) beat A Byron (h11, Kings Hill) 2&1, K Hood (h12, Wrotham H) beat A Bartlett (h5, Lydd) 2&1, S Fagg (h17, Canterbury) beat L Harvey (h7, Herne Bay) 2-up, A Wright (h16, Canterbury) lost to A Smith (h5, Rochester & Cobham) 1-up, S Lovell (h5, Sittingbourne) beat A Killip (h14, Walmer & Kingsdown) 5&3.

Second round draw: B Kent (h2, Prince’s) v M Spratt (h5, Birchwood Pk), S Skirrow (h22, Royal Cinque Ports) v T Sandford (h14, Tudor Pk), L Foster (h8, Whitstable & Seasalter) v G Harrison (h13, Gillingham), S Noble (h12, Upchurch River Valey) v S Lovell (h5, Sittingbourne), T Hancock (h17, Canterbury) v S Neal (h19, Gillingham), I Cusselle (h16, Canterbury) v J Hutchins (h13, Sheerness), I Graham (h13, Bearsted) v G Tottman (h6, Canterbury), N Brabyn (h14, Tudor Park) v D Ford (h20, Bexleyheath), S Gibbons (h13, Royal St Georges) v P Ludlow (h13, Gillingham), R Hutcheson (h14, Tenterden) v B Venner (h13, Broome Park), A Smith (h5, Rochester & Cobham) v M Dadson (h7, Rochester & Cobham), K Hood (h12, Wrotham Heath) v S Fagg (h17, Canterbury), P Webber (h22, Bearsted) v S Silk (h24, Whitstable & Seasalter), D Tottman (h7, Canterbury) v A Barnard (h10, Beckenham Place Park), G Miller (h16, Canterbury) v D Sharkey (h18, Farleigh Court).