While professional Joshua Grenville-Wood was booming 405-yard drives and “flicking” 170-yard wedge shots and Miguel Angel Jimenez’s son made a hole-in-one, it was the Dubai amateur who stole the headlines again in Aqaba

By Kent Gray
MENA Tour pin-up boy Josh Hill is at it again.

The 15-year-old took advantage of unusually benign conditions early on Tuesday then showed his class as a strange wind whipped across Ayla Golf Club to grab a share of the first-round lead at the $100,000 Journey To Jordan Tour Championship.

Professionals Joshua Grenville-Wood (England) and Gabriel Axell (Sweden) later matched Hills opening 66 but it was the Trump International Golf Club Dubai amateur’s six-under circuit that inevitably grabbed the early headlines.

Hill, who became the youngest winner of an OWGR-sanctioned event and the MENA Tour by Arena’s fourth amateur champion when he captured the Al Ain Open by Arena last month, was in the second group out and enjoyed the abnormality calm conditions for his opening four holes.

RELATED: Meet the MENA Tour’s new Boy Wonder

He was still only one under through four after birdieing the par-5 1st and gave it back with a three-putt bogey on the par-3 6th. But the England Boys’ representative then kicked into gear with five birdies in his next eight holes before another gain on 17 to set the early clubhouse target.

The breeze picked up by the time Hill reached the 5th tee but it helped the unfamiliar wind direction made three of Ayla G.C.s four par-5s play downwind.

“I was lucky with the wind for the first four holes and then it picked up. It was strong and from a different direction. But I played pretty solid and kept hitting some very good iron shots,” said Hill who has been nominated for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.

“Most of my birdies were from inside 10 feet. Just that three-putt on 6th was the only bad part of a good day.”

RELATED: Prodigy Power – The Driver swing that helped Josh Hill wow the golfing world

Hill outscored playing partners Curtis Knipes (73) and Jack Floydd (75) by seven and nine shots respectively, a huge boost in his bid to overtake Knipes atop the amateur Journey to Jordan standings and grab the rich reward of a start in January’s OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.

Arjun Gupta, who trains alongside Hill on the Claude Harmon 3 Performance Golf Academy range at The Els Club Dubai, held second place in the amateur leaderboard after a one-under 71 for a share of 21st place.

Grenville-Wood ht one drive 405 yards!
Photo: Joy Chakravarty/MENA Tour

Grenville-Wood, meanwhile, took full advantage of the par-5s playing downwind, hitting massive tee shots and flicking wedges in for two eagles – on the 9th and 13th – on a bogey-free day. And Axell, who lost in a play-off at the recent Ras Al Khaimah Open by Arena, continued his good form in a round that featured a hole-out with his second shot from 90 yards for an eagle on the par-4 15th hole, mixed with five birdies and a solitary bogey.

Sweden’s Henric Sturehed, the 2017 Tour Championship winner, and the Yas Links Abu Dhabi-attached Englishman Luke Joy, a two-time MENA Tour winner, were tied for the fourth place at 67.

Grenville-Wood, who is hoping to better his second-place finish in Bahrain earlier this year, said: “It felt like a completely new golf course in that wind but what it also did was make the par-5s a lot easier. I hit a wedge second shot from 170 yards on the ninth, and then my drive went 405 yards on the 13th.”

Gabriel Axell. (Photo: Joy Chakravarty/MENA Tour)

Axell is clearly making the most of his decision to travel to Aqaba a week in advance to escape the freezing temperatures back home in Sweden and get some practice with some sun on his back. 

“I am really surprised that I have managed to play well despite the break after the Ras Al Khaimah Open. I went back to Sweden and it was like -4 and -5 degrees. So, I came here early with a couple of my Swedish mates and practiced for a week. That seems to have definitely helped,” said Axell.

South Africa’s MG Keyser, the Journey to Jordan professional leader, started with a three-under 69 to be in tied seventh place. His closest rival, Australia’s Daniel Gaunt, opened with an even-par 72.

Miguel Angel Jimenez Junior, son of the legendary Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, made a hole-in-one – his first in competitive play – when he aced the par-3 2nd from 194 yards with a 6-iron. The Senior Jimenez has a penchant of making aces and holds the European Tour record with 11.

The post Josh Hill, still just 15, nabs share of early Journey To Jordan Tour Championship lead appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 28-year-old Swede returns to the scene of his historic MENA Tour Championship win in October 2017 for the second event of the new season, the Troon Series-Al Zorah Open,  starting today.

RELATED: Thomas begins farewell MENA Tour campaign among the favourites for this week’s Al Zorah Open

The Linkoping lad was unstoppable at the Nicklaus Design 16 months ago, negotiating the par-72 course with a 21-under-par aggregate to win the last MENA Tour season decider by nine strokes from England’s Jake Shepherd.

That was a tour record for the largest winning margin in a 72-hole event and included a course-record 63 in the second round.

Sturehed is hoping to cash in again at the happy hunting ground after opening the new MENA Tour by Arena season with a stunning 66 at Ayla Golf Club last week, only to be struck down by a suspected bout of food poisoning and fade to a share of 46th place after rounds of 78 and 73.

It was another cruel blow for Sturehed who finished 153rd in last season’s Race to Dubai with €175,117 from 21 starts and then agonisingly missed his card this year by just one shot at European Tour Q-School.

He hopes the return to Al Zorah for this week’s 54-hole championship will spark a recovery.

“I have very good memories of this place from the Tour final. I played very well that week and am hoping I can do something similar this week,” said the world No. 639.

“What I clearly remember is that I kept it very simple back then. I found most of the fairways and my putter was hot throughout the four days. That is something you need to do on most courses to win and that is what I want to do this week again.”

Sturehed will also need to overcome some quality names in the field of 120 including Dubai-based amateur Rayhan Thomas and Englishman Matthew Baldwin who won last week’s Journey To Jordan-1 in Aqaba by a record eight shots for a 54-hole tournament.

The post Down on his luck, Swede Sturehed returns to happy Ajman hunting ground looking for MENA Tour boost appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The six months since that memorable nine-stroke victory at Al Zorah in Ajman – save for his T-18 finish at Q-School – haven’t exactly gone to plan, seven straight missed cuts (including unwanted weekend’s off in Dubai, Oman and Qatar) culminating in further frustration at the Challenge Tour’s Kenyan Open late last month. But the 27-year-old Swede clearly has game bursting to get out as his performance at this week’s Open de España in Madrid illustrates.

Sturehed has a shot at a maiden European Tour title Sunday after rattling off scores of 67-68-66 at Centro Nacional de Golf to be -15 in one of the circuit’s more fabled championships. Whats more, he’ll do so in the company of world No. 4 and crowd favourite Jon Rahm in the penultimate group at 3.35pm (UAE time).

Related: Sturehed cruises to MENA Tour championship win

The MENA Tour peddles a “Making it Possible” hashtag and Sturehed is currently living that dream. Indeed, his third round 66 included two incredible shots good enough to claim first and third place in the shots of the day as judged by EuropeanTour.com. You can see them here, starting with a chip in on the 7th which earned third spot:

A bit of Swedish magic from Henric (not Henrik) ????#OpendeEspaña pic.twitter.com/H5SCIypA9d

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) April 14, 2018

And how about this near hole-out:

Strike ?
Distance ?
Spin control ? pic.twitter.com/OTNHNVtGyj

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) April 14, 2018

Sturehed will start the final round two shots adrift of Irishman and 2017 British Masters champion Paul Dunne (-17) who will play the final round with Rahm’s fellow Spaniard Nacho Elvira (-16).

The developmental Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Tour continues to fulfil its remit of giving up and coming professionals and amateurs high level playing opportunities in perfect conditions.

Very impressed with @theMENATour player @HenricSturehed‘s showing at the #OpenDeEspana Best wishes ahead of the final round playing with @JonRahmpga @EuropeanTour pic.twitter.com/Ig6pndmGtJ

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) April 15, 2018

“Henric’s performance underlines again why the MENA Tour is so important,” said MENA Tour co-founder David Spencer.

“As our MENA Tour patron Darren Clarke keeps telling all the players, you can practice all you want but you actually have to play in competitive circumstances to [have a chance of making the step up] and the tour is providing that opportunity. It’s also great to see the MENA Tour talked about on the global broadcast.

“This is the first cut Henric has made but that birdie on 18 yesterday to get into the penultimate group was extraordinary. He’s a star.”

Very proud of @theMENATour player @HenricSturehed !!Good luck tomorrow and enjoy playing with @JonRahmpga #OpenDeEspana #MakingItPossible @BUAMIMMj @DarrenClarke60

— David Spencer (@thestripegroup) April 14, 2018

OSN Sport 3HD will broadcast live coverage of the Open de España’s final round from 4pm (UAE time). It will be no cinch for the relatively inexperienced Swede, what with eight players within five shots of Dunne, Rahm included. But whatever happens, you can bet Spencer, his MENA Tour team and a swag of Sturehed’s peers will be glued.

Related: More reflected glory for MENA Tour as Clements cruises through Sunshine Tour Q-School

Cuts made on the European Tour – 1 (this week)
Shots off the lead after 54 holes – 2

Henric Sturehed is having the time of his life in Spain this week. pic.twitter.com/P9guCr6gLt

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) April 14, 2018

[divider] [/divider]

UPDATED: Henric Sturehed finished in a share of fifth place after closing with a 72.

The Swede, who started the final round two back, overcame a rough start with bogeys on the 3rd, 4th and 9th with gains on the 5th, 10th and 18th to finish on -15 alongside former European Tour winners Brett Rumford (Aus) and Mac Warren (Sco), five shots behind champion Jon Rahm.

Sturehed collected 49,650 for his first made cut on the European Tour after graduating from via Q-School last November.

Top playing by @HenricSturehed finishing 5th on @EuropeanTour this week. Winner of @theMENATour Tour Championship last year @BUAMIMMj @rejwilliams @thestripegroup #makingitpossible

— Zane (@ZaneScotland) April 15, 2018

The post UPDATED: MENA Tour champ finishes fifth as final round partner Jon Rahm wins home Open de España appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 18-year-old Dubai-based Indian amateur announced himself to the wider golfing world when he made his first European Tour cut with the help of an eye-catching opening round 68 at the $3 million event last year.

Thomas’ return to his home Emirates Golf Club has been sealed with a special sponsors’ invite and he’ll be joined on the Majlis from Jan. 25-28 by MENA Tour qualifiers Jamie Elson, Henric Sturehed, Luke Joy and Todd Clements, the latter also an amateur.

“I can’t wait to get started,” said the world amateur No. 20 who finished T-60 last year and went on to equal the world record of nine consecutive birdies in an official World Golf Ranking event at the 2017 Dubai Creek Open.

“I am feeling confident about my game, just working on my wedges and putter as short game will be crucial to going to low.”

Thomas won the Omega Watches Emirates Amateur Open last week by going low, closing with a 69 to fight back from six shots adrift before emerging from a three-way playoff with a birdie on the second hole of overtime.

It was a timely boost for the Junior Presidents Cupper who has verbally committed to play collegiate golf in the U.S. for Oklahoma State University from 2019.

Related: Rayhan Thomas is a Cowboy and Rickie Fowler is delighted

“The [Majlis] is like my home course. Having played there numerous times, I know it like the back of my hand. I see no reason why I shouldn’t do well there. It was nice making the cut last year, but just didn’t play that well on the front nines.”

Joining Thomas in showcasing the MENA Tour will be the top three Order of Merit professionals – Elson, Sturehed and Joy – and the leading amateur Todd Clements.

It will be a first Desert Classic start for Clements and Sturehed, who earned a 2018 European Tour card via Q-School. Like Joy and Thomas, Elson has played the “Middle East’s Major” before but is taking a laid back approach to his late career resurgence.

“I want to take a really positive, relaxed attitude into the tournament. Hoping to play some good golf and see where that leaves me,” said Elson, who won the Challenge Tour’s Finnish Open in 2003 shortly after turning professional. “I’m not putting any extra pressure on myself.”

Related: Els hopes Desert Classic return will trigger change of fortune

Daily tickets, priced at AED 175, are available online at omegadubaidesertclassic.com 

Season passes, which provide access to Emirates G.C. all week, are available for AED 500. Under 16s gain free entry with a adult carrying a valid ticket for the day.Season passes, which provide access to Emirates G.C. all week, is available for AED 500. Under 16s gain free entry with a adult carrying a valid ticket for the day.

The post Thomas trending nicely for Desert Classic return appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Henric Sturehed has been knocking on victory’s door for weeks and when he finally burst through Thursday, the view had exciting European, Asian and Sunshine Tour views.

The 27-year-old Swede waltz to a nine-stroke victory in the MENA Tour Championship at Al Zorah with a closing 69 to collect the circuit’s flagship title and the season’s richest cheque courtesy of an impressive -21 total.

The $18,000 took his season’s earnings to exactly two greenbacks over $30,000 and saw Sturehed leap-frog five places up to second in the order-of-merit behind champion Jamie Elson.

He’d started the working week almost certain of a place in the final stage of Sunshine Tour Q-School in South African and ended it with much more than a honking great pay cheque.

As well as a full card on the South African tour, Sturehed is now contemplating starts in January’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic and a second European Tour event, next September’s KLM Open at the Dutch. He also has a full Asian Development Tour card for 2018 but mightn’t need it – there’s also a free pass to the final stage of Asian Tour Q-School to consider.

“I’m absolutely delighted with my first win on the MENA Tour,” said Sturehed who became the the fourth Swede to win a MENA Tour event after Per Barth, Christofer Blomstrand and Fredrik From.

“I felt really comfortable out there, like I was in control of my game. It was my first season on the MENA Tour and I really enjoyed the whole experience. There are many good players out there and it was fun competing with them. I have made many new good friends and hope to return next year.”

Jake Shepherd, a two-time winner on the tour, went bogey-free in a closing six-under 66 to finish second at Al Zorah on -12, two clear of fellow Englishman Andrew Marshall and Adam Sagar.

Elson returned a level-par 72 to join fellow Englishmen Joe Heraty and Luke Joy in a three-way tie for fifth on -9, 279 , good enough for him to seal the prestigious Order of Merit title ahead of Sturehed.

As well as season earnings of $32,695, Elson becomes the first MENA Tour player to win a PGA Tour start at the DEAN & DELUCA Invitational at Colonial C.C. in May after also teeing it up in the Desert Classic and the European Tour’s Trophee Hassan II in Morocco in April. The 36-year-old Englishman also has all the Sunshine, and full and developmental Asian Tour privileges as Sturehed to ponder.

In the final wash-up in Ajman, you had to feel for Luke Joy whose frustrating season – hampered by a bout of malaria contracted during the MENA Tour’s South African swing – ended in more disappointment.

By the equivalent of a measly $121, he dropped to third in the OOM which denies the Yas Links-attached Englishman and return to the KLM Open. Here’s hoping he makes hay at the Desert Classic after being DQ’d for innocently signing an incorrect score card last January. He also has full Sunshine Tour status for 2018 although the illness in Pretoria may make a Asian Development Tour pass more appealing.

Todd Clements, meanwhile, signed for a 68 to win the amateur division on -5 283 . It was the English Amateur Champion’s sixth successive title and saw him crowned runaway amateur OOM champion from Sam Hobday.

Final MENA Tour Championship scores 

Final Pro OOM standings

Final Amateur OOM standings

The post Sturehed waltzes MENA Tour Championship as Elson eyes European Tour return and prized PGA Tour invite appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 27-year-old Swede started the penultimate round of the Pro-Am circuit’s 15-event season five ahead courtesy of a course record 63 on Tuesday and extended the buffer with a third round 67 at Al Zorah G.C.

Sturehed is -18 through 54-holes with Andrew Marshall (-11) seven back after a 69 and English compatriot Jamie Elson (-9) nine adrift following a 70. More importantly, Elson retains pole-position for the overall title with his closest rival Luke Joy -5 after a 72 and Swede Fredrik From, third in the order of merit rankings heading into the week, -7 following a 70.

Former major champions Michael Campbell and Darren Clarkem, the latter the MENA Tour’s patron, visited Al Zorah Wednesday and will have been mightly impressed by Sturehed scoring. Playing partner Marshall certainly is.

“He is a superb talent,” Marshall said of Sturehed who notched up six of his seven birdies (against two bogeys) Wednesday on the front nine to effectively slam the door on his rivals. “I’m very impressed with his game. He is strong off the tee and accurate with his irons. He has great potential and I absolutely believe he will go far,”

Marshall signed for a third round 69.

Sturehed will understandably stick to a tried method in the final round.

“My game plan is to just play my game and try and make as many birdies possible, and the rest will take care of itself,”

Taylor Carter birdied two of his final three holes as he shot a two-under 70 to stay atop in the amateur division on four-under, two strokes clear of fellow Englishman Sam Hobday with Todd Clements lurking a further back on one-under.

Full scores here 

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Two-back overnight, Sturehed rattled off eight birdies and a chip-in eagle to move to -13 at the season-decider in Ajman and open up a healthy five stroke lead over Englishman Andrew Marshall (66).

The season-long title race is suddenly a lot more spicy after Joy signed for a 69 to move from a share of 9th overnight into a share of 5th with Slovenia’s Tim Gornik and Swede Fredrik From, the latter an outside chance at the order-of-merit (OOM) title.

Joy is now just two shots behind Jamie Elson after the overnight leader and OOM pole-sitter carded a one-under 71 to fall into a share of third at -7 with Canadian Lindsay Renolds.

Related: Who needs to do what to win the MENA Tour

With 36-holes remaining, the equation is simple for Joy. If he goes on to win, the MENA Tour title, three European Tour starts, an invite to the PGA Tour’s Dean & Deluca Invitational, a Sunshine Tour card and a place in final qualifying for the Asian Tour is his. If Joy finishes second or third, Elson would need to finish no better than 4th or 6th respectively while Joy would still need a top three finish if Elson slips outside the top 10.

Sturehed backed up his opening 68 with a nine-under second round that included a chip-in eagle three on the 4th after his six-iron from 218 yards finished just off the green, a solitary bogey at the 8th before three successive birdies to finish.

“Conditions were a bit tougher today because of cross winds, but I had a good, solid day,” said the 27-year-old Swede.

“You never know tomorrow holds as there are many good players in the field and anything can happen. I need to stick to my game plan and keep the feel-good vibes going.”

Defending champion Tyler Hogarty, (South Africa) tied for second overnight, fell into a tie for 17th after returning a 77 while England’s Jake Shepherd kept himself in the frame for a strong finish, taking a share of 8th after posting a 69.

The English duo of Zane Scotland and Lee Corfield, who between them share 14 MENA Tour titles, are T-22 on +1 while Craig Hinton, the winner of the 2016 Order of Merit title, occupied tT-40 on +6, 150.

Taylor Carter returned a 69 to join fellow Englishman Sam Hobday at the top of the amateur division on -2 as overnight joint leader Todd Clements slipped to +1 after a 76.

Click here for full MENA Tour Championship scores

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The 27-year-old had four birdies going out and three more coming home in a flawless seven-under 63 to edge the English duo of Stuart Archibald and Luke Joy, Scot Daniel Hendry and South African Luke Trocado on the opening day of the MENA Tour’s penultimate event of 2017.

Italian Philip Geerts and Scot Robert MacIntyre moved into a two-way tie for sixth on five-under 65, one ahead of a nine-man group that included two-time MENA Tour winner Andrew Marshall and English amateur champion Todd Clements.

Order of merit leader Jamie Elson signed for a level par 71 to be T-28, two shots Swede Fredrik From who is third in the points race behind as second-placed Joy stole an early march on his rivals.

Fresh from a T-3 finish at last week’s Jordan’s AYLA Golf Championship, Sturehed rode a hot driver in Kuwait City to fall just a shot shy of the course record, jointly held by defending champion Joe Heraty and Chile’s Matias Calderon.

Related: Swede Sturehed fires course record, finds Joy atop the Ayla Golf Championship leaderboard

“I struck the ball very well off the tee and holed some good putts when I needed to and that was the key to going low today,” said Sturehed.

“The course is playing nice and there are plenty of scoring opportunities out there if you can hit the fairways in regulation.”

Archibald finished sixth in Kuwait last year after taking a two-shot lead into the final round and rekindled those found memories by also going bogey-free. “I played some lovely golf. Missed just one green which means I had 17 chances to pick up a shot,” said the 33-year-old Englishman.

“I struggled a bit to get the pace of the greens on the front nine as I had arrived just in time for my tee time, but found the touch as the round wore one. Didn’t miss any green coming home.” s

who finished in a tie for sixth last year after heading into the final round with a two-shot lead.

Perennial contender Joy produced one of the highlights of the day, hitting a 3-iron from 228 yards to within 15 feet on the 9th before duly holing the putt for an eagle-3 en-route to a tidy 64.

“I hit the ball clean throughout the day and putted solidly. The course is nice. Had some good fun out there,” said the Englishman, a two-timer winner on the MENA Tour.

Trocado also had a good day at work, reeling off six birdies, two eagles and three bogeys to put himself firmly in the mix.

England’s Todd Clements continued his purple patch of form with an opening with a 66 to lead the amateur division by a stroke from Switzerland’s Michael Harradine. Saudi Arabia’s Othman Almulla settled for a 75.

Elsewhere, defending champion Heraty slipped into a tie for 46th after carding a 72 while Morocco’s Ahmed Marjan posted a bogey-free 69 as UAE’s Ahmed Al Musharrekh, three over through 10th, recovered well to sign for a 71.

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On a day highlighted by the visit of HRH Prince Faisal Bin Al Hussein, president of the Jordan Olympic Committee, to the venue of the first MENA Tour event in Jordan, the Swede went bogey-free in his second round, bettering the previous record of a 69 jointly set by the English duo Luke Joy and Todd Clements 24 hours ago.

That flawless 67 saw Sturehed reach six-under for the tournament to join Joy atop the leaderboard.

Overnight joint leader Clements slipped to tied 12th after carding a second-round 79, but his fellow Englishman Zane Scotland held his nerve to occupy third on three-under, one clear of his playing partner Jamie Elson, who returned a second round 70.

A four-time winner on the MENA Tour, Lee Corfield was a further stroke adrift as five shots separated the top five, promising a thrilling finish coming down the stretch on Saturday.

MENA Tour patron Darren Clarke returned back-to-back 76s to move into a three-way tie for the 26th on six-over 152 as England’s Jordan Garnish, tied for 41st overnight, made a significant move up the leaderboard to finish the day, tied for 15th on three-over 149 along with Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who is playing in his very first event as a professional.

The day, however, belonged to Sturehed, who played pretty solid golf in windy conditions, making three birdies in each half, to keep alive his chances of winning his maiden title on the MENA Tour.

“I played very well and didn’t make any major mistake out there. Going bogey-free always makes you feel good. So, very happy with my day’s efforts,” said the Swede, who started the second round in a four-way tie for fifth on level-par.

“We still have one more round to go and will see how things unfold, but it feels nice to see my name up on the leaderboard.”

Englishman Jamie Elson, five behind at the start, sounded pretty happy with his score, but felt there was still a room for improvement. “I hit some very good shots out there, creating some birdie chances, but could have done better had I capitalized on the scoring opportunities.

“You have to be very precise with your game if you aim to score well here. The wind is a big factor here and you need to play smart. I mean controlling the spin and trajectory of the ball is crucial,” said the 36-year-old who currently leads the MENA Tour Order of Merit standings.

Elsewhere, India’s Arkesh Bhatia signed for level-par 73, studded with an eagle on the last, to move to second place in the amateur division along with Turkey’s Leon Acikalin on three over, one behind Clements as Saudi Arabia’s Othman Almulla finished the day on 10 over.

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Joy rattled off four birdies in his last six holes to fire a blemish free five-under 66 Tuesday and seize the early initiative from countrymen Lee Corfield and Jordan Loft and Sweden’s Henric Sturehed who carded 68s on a day when 20 players broke par.

Reigning MENA Tour order of merit champion Craig Hinton left himself with plenty of work to do after opening with an eight-over 79 to lie in a tie for 78th place. The Englishman dropped all the shots in his first 10 holes, including a triple-bogey on the par-3 7^th.

Of the other notables in the 137-strong field, 10-time tour winner Zane Scotland returned a 74 while fellow Englishman Danny Poulter, the elder brother of European Ryder Cup hero Ian, shot a 72. India’s Feroz Singh Garewal, who graduated via last week’s MENA Tour Q-school, fired a 71.

Joy was happy with his first day of work on the 2017 MENA Tour after the disappointment of missing an Asia Tour card earlier this year.

“I played very nicely today, solid off the tee and solid into the greens which made it a stress free day overall,” Joy said in his blog overnight.

“The course is fairly open off the tee but has some of the best greens we will see all year which makes it a fun course to play from the fairways. I tee off at 7.30am tomorrow [Morocco time] so will be taking every item of clothes I own out with me as I’m sure it’s going to be a chilly start to the day.”

Joy was paired with former England wicketkeeper-batsman Craig Kieswetter who carded a 75 in his professional debut after safely negotiating last week’s Q-School, also in Morocco.

“He is always in good spirits,” Joy said of the former cricketer. “Now that he has earned his MENA Tour card for this season, I hope he will be a regular on the tour.”

Corfield, a four-time winner on the tour, mixed eight birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey in a topsy-turvy 68 while Sturehed almost kept it clean, offsetting a bogey on the 7^th with four birdies in his last 11 holes.

“It was kind of an up-and-down round,” Corfield said. Made lots of birdies and bogeys. I may have left some shots out there, but can’t complain after opening with a 68,”

“There are plenty of scoring opportunities if you can drive the ball well off the tee and avoid bunkers. The greens are just excellent,” he said.

Dutchman Pierre Junior Verlaar carded a 72 to lead the amateur division, one shot ahead of Ayoub Saidi and two clear of Amine El Kharraz, also of Morocco.

Moroccans also made their presence felt in the MENA Division for the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation Award with Mustapha El Maouas hitting the front after signing for a one-under 70 as Younes El Hassani and Faycal Serghini shared second on level par.

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