WISBECH golfer and reigning European Long Drive Champion Richard Allen has begun the defence of his crown. Along with many of the top hitters in Europe, Allen, 23, travelled to Austria and secured a fifth place finish in the first event of the European ch

WISBECH golfer and reigning European Long Drive Champion Richard Allen has begun the defence of his crown.

Along with many of the top hitters in Europe, Allen, 23, travelled to Austria and secured a fifth place finish in the first event of the European championship schedule.

Allen, pictured, finished second in qualification with a superb drive of 343 yards, but then struggled with the conditions before securing a top seeding in the final shootout with 345 yards.

A drive of 356 yards from Sweden's Marcus Edblad set the standard and Allen was held up by a fractured club head.

However, the Wisbech big hitter posted a drive of 330 yards to secure a top-five finish and regain European Championship exemption.

Allen said: "There was a head wind and a wet target grid that meant that balls were just plugging into the ground.

"The conditions made things very difficult but I managed to recover."

Allen is now aiming to compete at St Omer Club, France, on June 30.