Maidstone professional Matt Ford produced his best performance of the season on the European Challenge Tour with a joint fourth place finish in the Euram Bank Open in Ramsau, Austria at the weekend.

The 41-year-old returned a 13-under-par total of 267 at the Golf Club Adamstal, five shots more than the winner, Scotland’s Calum Hill.

Ford started the final round in second place, three shots behind Hill, but after four holes had drawn level with the Scot. Hill however kept playing steady golf to return a bogey free round of 66 and so clinch his second Challenge Tour title.

Ford won 8,418 Euros for his efforts which has lifted him into 40^th place in the Challenge Tour rankings.

Fellow Kent pro Steve Tiley, who had won his first Challenge Tour title in France the previous week, is 10^th in the rankings after finishing 19^th in the Euram Bank Open on 8-under-par 272.