By Kent Gray
The good times continue to roll for English Amateur champion Todd Clements while there was finally some cheer for Luke Joy as the MENA Tour made its much anticipated bow in Jordan on Thursday.

Clements and Joy overcame testing winds and tricky greens to sign for four-under-par 69s and a share of the first round lead at the inaugural Jordan’s Ayla Golf Championship.

Ten-time MENA Tour winner Zane Scotland continued his recent form revival with a 70 that left him alone on third, a shot clear of fellow Englishman Lee Corfield. MENA Tour patron Darren Clarke, meanwhile, let a solid start – two birdies in his first three holes – slip with two bogeys and as many double bogeys in a three-over 76 to be T-15.

Joy has endured a nightmarish second half of 2017 thus far after being felled  by a bout of malaria picked up during the Pro-Am circuit’s South African swing. He wasn’t at his best during the KLM Open, a rare European Tour start earned after he finished second in the MENA Tour’s 2016 order of merit, and was even more frustrated at failing to advance from the first stage of European Tour Q-School in Austria the following week. The barren spell spilled over at last week’s Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open when he failed to make the 36-hole cut after successive 74s.

But the Yas Links-attached pro is still right in this year’s OOM race in fifth place and suddenly on track for a third MENA Tour title after a round highlighted buy a holed gap wedge for an eagle two on the 3rd.

“Yeah, it’s been a tough summer with getting back from the Malaria, the recovery has taken longer than expected but you have to deal with these things the best way you can and stay positive,” Joy told Golf Digest Middle East after mixing six birdies and the eagle with four bogeys. “I holed some nice putts and also left a few [out there], but overall, it was a pretty good round.

“The course is just awesome and the wind makes it even more challenging. The greens are quite tricky and you are going to miss some, but you have to stay patient. You also need a bit of luck if you aim to score well here. I will just enjoy the rest of the week and see what happens at the end.”

After runner-up finishes in two of his last three starts, Clements is knocking ever louder for his maiden MENA Tour title.

The 21-year-old amateur started with three successive birdies – his only blemish was a bogey on the 8th – and is an impressive 29-under in his last 10 MENA Tour rounds.

“I got off to a nice start and managed to keep the momentum going. I am enjoying my golf and very happy with my efforts. We still have two more rounds to go and we will see how things pan out,” said Clements, who won the English Amateur Championship at The Berkshire in August.

Related: Jordanian teen grouped with Darren Clarke for opening 36 holes of his country’s first pro event

Elsewhere, Jordanian 13-year-old Shergo Al Kurdi carded an opening 78 in the company of Clarke, to shared 25th place, a stroke behind Saudi Arabia’s Othman Almulla. The UAE national team due of Ahmed Skaik (80) and Ahmed Al Musharrekh (81) have much work to do to make the 36-hole cut.

The post Clements, Joy lead in Jordan as 13-year-old Shergo Al Kurdi signs for 78 in strong winds at Ayla appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Fredrik From would dearly love to be the player to snap the MENA Tour’s streak of first-time winners when he tees it up in the Golf Citizen Classic at The Els Club, Dubai on Monday.

The 27-year-old Swede took full advantage of the absence of Jamie Elson and Luke Joy from last week’s Dubai Creek Open, leapfrogging the Englishmen all the way to the summit of the developmental circuit’s order-of-merit standings courtesy of a T-4 finish.

South African MG Keyser captured his maiden MENA Tour title following a tense battle with Junior Presidents Cup-bound teen Rayhan Thomas to become the 10th new winner in as many events this season.

From, who won the weather-shortened Pattana Golf Championship in May thanks to a closing 63, will be aware there is no better time to change that at The Els, especially with Joy against absent as he contests the multi-tournament first stage of European Tour Q-School in Austria.

Related: No KLM Open Joe as Luke eyes European Tour Q-School

Elson, however, is back and certainly wouldn’t mind keeping the first-timers streak rolling.  The 36-year-old Englishmen brings form with him to Dubai having advanced to the second stage of European Q-school courtesy of rounds of 70-72-68-72 at Roxburghe Hotel and Golf Course in Kelso, Scotland last week to finish T-11 at -6 (the top 22 advanced).

Related: Elson eyes the MENA Tour’s big prize

From can also anticipate a tough fight from Keyser who established the Creek course record of 61 last Monday (a -10 score emulated by Thomas the very next day). The South African is clearly comfortable going low, having recently looped The Els in 62 strokes in a friendly game.

MG Keyser arrives at The Els fresh from victory at last week’s Dubai Creek Open.

“I love this Els course and know what it takes to string together a low round. Hopefully, local knowledge will come in handy,” said Keyser, who considers the Els his “home club” and is playing the MENA Tour on a special Tour invitation.

“The confidence is there as I have been playing some good, solid golf for the last six months or so. I am really enjoying playing on the MENA Tour [but] there are a plenty of quality players who all can win on their day.”

Zane Scotland, handed the tour’s first and thus far only lifetime exemption during last season’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic, will play after withdrawing from the Creek last week with a reoccurrence of a back injury. The Englishman, who holds a record 10 MENA Tour titles, last won at the 2016 Royal Golf Mohammed Open in Morocco.

Also confirmed are 2016 OOM champion Craig Hinton and fellow Englishmen Andrew Marshall, Jake Shepherd and Lee Corfield, who all have all won a minimum of two MENA Tour titles previously.

England’s Todd Clements, T-2 with Thomas last week, will be the amateur to watch this week with Thomas headed for New Jersey for the Sept 25-26 Junior Presidents Cup. Saudi Arabia’s Othman Almulla, who emerged as the best amateur from the MENA region last week, and the UAE’s Ahmed Al Musharrekh will be the Arab players under the microscope in a event that attracted 130 entries (including 30 amateurs) from 26 countries.

The post From brings form to Golf Citizen Classic at The Els, Dubai appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

This time a year ago Thomas was the 1050^th ranked amateur in the world but an historic victory in his home Dubai Creek Open sparked a memorable run of form that sees the 17-year-old return to defend the MENA Tour title 1000 places better off in 50^th on the warg.com list.

Related content: Clarke would love his golf to do the talking at Dubai Creek Open but promises a good yarn either way

Thomas is understandably bullish about his defence given his intimate knowledge of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and his giddy run of form leading into the $50,000 event, including making his maiden professional tournament cut at February’s Dubai Desert Classic and a charge to the semifinals of the recent U.S. Junior Amateur.

Those results helped the correspondence-schooled Indian, who doesn’t turn 18 until November, seal the No.1 spot in Trevor Immelman’s International team for the inaugural Junior Presidents Cup later this month. It has also centred attention on the teen as he prepares to tee it up with Clarke in the first round of the 54-holer at 11.10am on Monday. Not that Thomas seemed overly phased as he joined the 2016 Ryder Cup captain for a preview press conference on Sunday.

“For sure I know this course like the back of my hand and I guess when you’ve done it once, it’s a little more comfortable situation,” Thomas said of his title defence. “Yeah, I think my chances are very good, I’m playing very well…we’ll see Wednesday.”

Related content: Rayhan Thomas can’t lose at Junior Presidents Cup

The measured confidence wasn’t lost on Clarke who, as patron of the MENA Tour, has watched Thomas’ progress closely. The DCGYC member coincidently finished leading amateur in the Clarke’s only other start on the development circuit at the 2015 RAK Classic.

“I think we all know where his game could be headed. Rayhan’s obviously a very special talent,” said Clarke who will also be partnered with Swede Fredrik From, the winner of tour’s weather-curtailed Pattana Golf Championship in May, in Monday’s opening round.

Rayhan Thomas, tournament director Robbie Williams, Darren Clarke and Dubai Golf’s Christopher May pose ahead of Monday’s Dubai Creek Open.

“To win here last year as he did, it’s not that easy for amateurs to win any professional tournament, I don’t care where you are in the world, that’s another marker in his career.”

But as Thomas’ ranking has plummeted, Clarke has seen expectations soar and has urged for patience as he serves his amateur apprenticeship.

“I know his coach, Justin Parsons, really, really well and I know he’s really excited with that Rayhan is achieving as well but you know, with what he has achieved and the way he is going, it’s very easy to heap pressure on him, you’re going to do this and you’re going to do that.

“Rayhan is still a young man and has a huge future so if things don’t quite go as well for him for a week or two, he just has to go practice and keep working on what he’s doing.

“You’ve got some of the best facilities in the world here and Rayhan has made the most of them. His progress is what you’d expect from a man of his talent. I’m sure he’ll enjoy the Junior Presidents Cup, looking for bigger and better things and it’s a stepping-stone to the bigger Presidents Cup.”

Thomas, Clarke and From are off at 11.10am. With reigning order of merit leader Jamie Elson playing at the first stage of European Tour school in Scotland and second-placed Luke Joy teeing it up in the KLM Dutch Open, it is a big week for Englishman Andrew Marshall.

Related content: Elson has his eyes on the prize

Off at 11.40am alongside countryman Lee Corfield and Joshua White, Marshall is third on the OOM (just ahead of From) and will be looking to make up ground in the absence of Elson and Joy.

[divider] [/divider]

2017 MENA Tour – Post summer schedule
Sept 11-13: The Dubai Creek Open
Venue: at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. Purse: US$50,000

Sept 18-20: The Golf Citizen Classic
Venue: Els Club Dubai. Purse: US$30,000

Sept 25-27: The Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open
Venue: Yas Links GC. Purse: US$50,000

Oct 5-7: Jordan’s Ayla Golf Championship
Venue: Ayla Golf Resort (Aqaba). Purse: US$50,000

Oct 16-18: The Sahara Kuwait Golf Championship
Venue: Sahara Golf & County Club. Purse: US$50,000

Oct 23-26: The MENA Tour Championship
Venue: Al Zorah GC (Ajman). Purse: $100,000

Completed events
March 6-9: 2017 Qualifying School, El Jadida Golf Club, Morocco
Winner – Jack Doherty (SCO)

March 14-16: Palmeraie Country Club Casablanca Open
Winner – Leo Lilja (SPN)

March 19-21: Royal Golf Mohammedia Open
Winner – Pierre Junior Verlaar (NED/Amateur)

April 24-26: Ras Al Khaimah Classic
Winner – Peter Stojanovski (AUS)

Thailand Swing
May 2-4: Mahasamutr Masters
Winner – Jazz Janewattananond (THAI)

May 8-10: Mountain Creek Open by Golf Citizen
Winner – Lionel Weber (FRA)

May 16-19: Pattana Golf Championship*
Winner – Fredrik From (SWE)

South African Swing
June 7-9: South to East Challenge
Winner – Breyten Meyer (RSA)

June 13-15: Jo’burg City Masters
Winner – Jaco Prinsloo (RSA)

June 20-22: The Roar
Winner – Daniel Hammond (RSA)

*72-hole event reduced to 36 holes due to inclement weather

The post Thomas is a “very special talent” but ease up on the pressure, says Darren Clarke appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Had it not been for American 15-year-old Victoria Tip-Aucha’s historic appearance in Hau Hin, Thomas’ return to the MENA Tour would have undoubtedly generated the main interest ahead of the $50,000 MahaSamutr Masters at Banyan GC.

Regardless of how Tip-Aucha fares as the developmental tour’s female pioneer, Thomas’ performance will garner much attention after his growing reputation enabled the Dubai-based Indian amateur No.1 to bypass the first three events of the season for better things – the very purpose of the MENA Tour.

RELATED CONTENT
American teen set for historic MENA Tour start in Thailand

Thomas created headlines when he made the cut at February’s Dubai Desert Classic and played alongside 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett in the final round. It followed a practice round tee time with Rickie Fowler in Abu Dhabi and earned the teen a late invite to the Hero Indian Open, his fourth European Tour start (after playing the Qatar Masters in 2016).

Since then Thomas has focused on the prestigious Junior Invitational at Sage Valley GC near Augusta National where a closing 68 saw him finish a credible T13 in what is widely regarded as the world’s leading junior tournament.

The invaluable U.S. experience, coupled with his emergence in Thailand last season when he finished second at the Mountain Creek Open and third at the MahaSamutr Masters, has Thomas raring for this week’s 54-holer.

“It feels good to return to golf courses where you have enjoyed some good finishes,” said Thomas who kicked on from Thailand to become the MENA Tour’s first amateur winner at his home Dubai Creek Open last September.

“I have been working very hard with my coach Justin Parsons and the good thing is that I am feeling confident about my game.”

Thomas won’t have it all his own way in Thailand, of course. Englishman Zane Scotland, a 10-time winner, is back after a back injury saw him skip last week’s Ras Al Khaimah Classic. Bahrain-based Daniel Owen will look to rebound from a disastrous final round 82 at Tower Links after leading through 36-holes with a pair of 66s.

Other notable contenders include Lee Corfield, Craig Hinton and Andrew Marshall, all multiple winners on the tour, and cricketer-turned-golfer Craig Kieswetter, who graduated from the tour’s qualifying school earlier this year.

They’ll all be mindful of Wolmer Murillo, the 36-year-old Venezuelan star who won the Mountain Creek Open by Golf Citizen by three shots and followed it up with a second-place finish in the MahaSamutr Masters a week later when the tour travelled to Thailand for the first time in 2016.

Murillo, who is attached to Banyan Golf Club, will be keen to pick up where he left off last year, but will have to contend with a 139-player field including 13 MENA Tour winners. The tournament will have a distinct Thai flavour with a strong home contingent of 25 golfers.

UAE’s Ahmed Al Musharrekh will spearhead the challenge in the MENA Division, confident of racking up some good results.

“I am working on certain aspects of my game and hope to get things dialed in sooner than later. It’s always a work in progress,”Al Musharrekh said.

The post Rayhan Thomas ready for 2017 MENA Tour bow appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The Bahrain-based 27-year-old touring professional will take a five stroke lead into the final round of the Ras Al Khaimah Classic on Wednesday over a group of five players including three-time MENA Tour winner and European tour veteran Stephen Dodd.

Dodd (70-67) was joined by joint overnight leader Max Williams (66-71), fellow Englishmen Jordan Garnish (68-69) and Jamie Elson (71-66) and Australia’s Peter Stojanovski (68-69) at -7.

After mixing two eagles and five birdies against three bogeys in Monday’s opening round, Royal Golf Club-aligned Owen had his driver going to rattle off six birdies in a flawless six-under circuit to be -12 for the tournament.

“I have been coming here since 2011 and know the course pretty well. It suits my eye. I did miss a couple of greens, but never really got into much trouble. I gave myself good opportunities and made a few putts,” Owen said of his sizzling second round on a steamy RAK day.

Owen will be looking to kick on after racking up a string of top five finishes on the tour.

“Obviously, it’s hard to ignore where I am, but at the same time the game plan doesn’t change. I will try and make some early birdies to kind of settle the nerves and, hopefully, get the job done this time around.”

As a three-time European Tour winner Dodd, who mixed six birdies with a lone bogey on the tough 3rd hole in his second-round 67, stands as a significant threat to Owen.

The Welshman made his European Senior Tour debut at the Senior Open Championship last July and went on to win the 2016 Senior Italian Open, a feat which showed his hunger remains as keen as ever.

Elsewhere, Spain’s Francisco Perez and England’s Paul Dwyer, who were among a four-way tie for the lead overnight, left themselves with work to do after carding respective rounds of 73 and 72 to be at -6.

England’s Lee Corfield, a four-time winner on the MENA Tour, moved into a tie for 10^th on -5 after a second round 71, one ahead of Craig Hinton, the winner of the 2016 MENA Tour Order of Merit title, as experienced Andrew Marshall settled for a tied 17^th after a shooting a two-under 70.

England’s Todd Clements carded a 69 to top the amateur division on -3, four shots ahead of Switzerland’s Dubai-based Michael Harradine, who backed his opening 71 with a 74.

UAE’s Ahmed Al Musharrekh returned a second-round 75 for 36-hole total of seven-over-par 151, missing the cut, which was made at two over, by five shots. A total of 54 professionals and nine amateurs have made it to the final round.

The post Bahrain-based Englishman Daniel Owen takes five stroke lead into RAK Classic’s final round appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Dutch teen Pierre Junior Verlaar became just the second amateur to win on the developmental Pro-Am tour when he came from three shots back to capture the Royal Golf Mohammedia Open in style at Royal Golf D’Anfa Club Tuesday.

The 18-year-old got off to a fast start in the final round with six outward nine birdies en-route to a flawless 65 to reach nine-under, 204, for the tournament and finish two shots clear of Morocco’s Ahmed Marjan and England’s Andrew Marshall.

Verlaar follows Thomas who won his home Dubai Creek Open in September while his closing 65 equalled the lowest final round by a winner, matching Joe Heraty’s (England) title-clinching effort at the 2016 Sahara Kuwait Championship.

“I am really very, very happy with the way I finished against a strong field. I think I played some amazing golf on the front nine,” said Verlaar after receiving the winner’s trophy from Fouad Akasbi, president of Royal Golf D’Anfa and Vice President of the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation.

“I may not have picked up a shot on the back nine, but played very steady. The MENA Tour is doing a great job in providing a perfect platform for amateurs likes me to compete alongside professionals which is great,” said Verlaar, who joined the tour last year.

Marshall, who started the final round five shots adrift, matched Verlaar’s 65 to surge up the leaderboard as Marjan, the only Arab winner on the MENA Tour, topped the MENA Division, one shot ahead of his compatriot Mohamed Belaroussia.

Overnight leader Lee Corfield (England) slipped to tied eighth on four under after carding a final round 73 while Zane Scotland, a 10-time winner on the tour, moved into a six-way tie for 43rd after closing with a 75 along with Danny Poulter, the elder brother of European Ryder Cup hero Ian.

Elsewhere, former England cricketer Craig Kieswetter settled for 52nd on +10 after signing for a 77 as Craig Hinton, the winner of the 2016 MENA Tour Order of Merit title, settled for tied 50th on +7, six shots ahead of India’s Rayhan Thomas, who carded a final round 79.

Thomas, for the record, carded rounds of 74-73-79 to finish 56th on 226 and has work to do ahead of the prestigious Sage Valley Junior Invitational in the U.S. in April.

The next event on the MENA Tour schedule is the Ras Al Khaimah Classic at Tower Links Golf Club from April 24-26.

The post Dutch prodigy Pierre Junior Verlaar becomes second amateur to win on the MENA Tour appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 35-year-old Englishman aced the 144-yard par 3 11^th with a nine iron en-route to a one-under 70 at Royal Golf D’Anfa Club and a -6 total of 136, two shots clear of compatriots Adam Sagar and Dave Coupland Morocco’s Ahmed Marjan (pictured).

It was Corfield’s sixth ace but his first on the MENA Tour where he has held the 36-hole lead for two straight tournaments in Morocco. He will be hoping to go two better than his solo third place in last week’s Casablanca Open. Two bogeys in the last three holes prevented Corfield from taking a more comfortable buffer into the final round of the 54-holer.

Lee Corfield has had six aces in his career but this was his first on the MENA Tour

Marjan rolled in four outward nine birdies before dropping the only shot of the day on the short 11^th hole in his second round 68. His day’s efforts were good enough to establish a two-shot lead in the MENA division over fellow Moroccan Mohamed Belaroussia with Younes El Hassani and Mustapha El Maouas sharing third on level-par.

Coupland made the biggest move on moving day move, five birdies, an eagle and two bogeys in a five-under 66 as he chases a maiden MENA Tour title.

Dutchman Pierre Junior Verlaar backed up his opening 69 with a 70 to consolidate his lead in the amateur division and share fifth place overall. At three-under 139, Verlaar is four shots ahead of England’s Taylor Carter and eight clear of India’s Dubai-based prodigy Rayhan Thomas, who carded a 73 to scrape into the final round.

The cut was made at four over par 146 with 58 professionals and 10 amateurs making it to the final round. Among the notables survivors were Scotland’s Grant Forrest (-2), Andrew Marshall (-1), Zane Scotland (+1), former England cricketer Craig Kieswetter and Danny Poulter (both +4).

Casablanca Open champion Leo Lilja (+5) and Englishman Luke Joy (+6), runner-up to the Spaniard last week, both missed the cut.

The post Corfield holds the aces as Moroccan Ahmed Marjan eyes home glory appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 35-year-old, third at last week’s Casablanca Open after holding the 36-hole lead, capitalised on a steady start Sunday to fire a flawless five-under first round 66 at Royal Golf D’Anfa Club.

Corfield leads by two from Engishmen Adam Sagar and Jamie Elson while South African Tyler Hogarty, who won last year’s MENA Tour Championship, also signed for a 68.

Dutchman Pierre Junior Verlaar reeled off five birdies in his last six holes to card a 69 to lead the amateur standings which includes Dubai’s Rayhan Thomas who settled into a tie of 58^th place with a three over 74 in his first start of the season.

Corfield picked up four shots in a stunning three-hole stretch from the 7^th including an eagle on the 9^th before birdieing the final hole.

“I got off to a steady start with six pars in a row and then two birdies and an eagle on the next three holes got my round going,” said Corfield.

“It felt nice to finish with a birdie on the 18th. The course is in great shape though it was a bit tricky out there with the wind blowing. Really happy with my day’s work,” said Corfied, a four-time winner on the MENA Tour.

Hogarty recovered from a double bogey on the 1^st with seven birdies in nine holes in the middle of his round before dropping two further shots to finish the day three under.

Mohamed Belaroussia (Morocco) carded a two-under 69 to lead the MENA Division, one ahead of his compatriots Ahmed Marjan and Mehdi Saissi as Younes El Hassani, the winner of the Arab onours last week, settled for level-par 71.

Elsewhere, defending champion Zane Scotland (England) returned a 71 while Spain’s Leo Lilja, who won the Casablanca Open last week, signed for a 74 to join seasoned Andrew Marshall (England) in a tie for 58th, one ahead of former England cricketer Craig Kieswetter and two clear of Luke Joy on a day when 20 players broke par.

The post Corfield challenging again with two-stroke Royal Golf Mohammedia Open lead in Morocco appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 24-year-old Spanish rookie, who had only qualified for the tour via Q-School the previous week, pipped Englishman Luke Joy on the sixth hole of extra time at the season-opening Palmeraie Country Club Casablanca Open with a two-putt birdie on the par 5 17th.

Lilja’s victory in the marathon playoff came after the Spaniard fired a bogey-free 68 to set a clubhouse target of eight-under, a number Joy matched with a closing 69 after three birdies on his homeward nine offset an early bogey.

He is the third Spaniard to win on the developmental Pro-Am tour after Gabriel Canizares and Carlos Balmaseda.

“I am really very, very happy. Just can’t believe that I have won my very first event on the tour. It feels so surreal,” said Lilja after receiving the winner’s trophy from Ali Ouaziz, director of operations at Palmeraie Country Club.

“I played really solid during the week and holed many good putts out there which was the key.”

Joy, a two-time winner on the tour, said in his blog that he planned to dull his disappointment with a “heavy night” out. “Coffee and Nutella crepe it is. Got to love Morocco!”

“I can’t say I’m not frustrated not to get the win this week but the game is progressing nicely and I need to keep pushing forward and keep improving,” Joy continued.

Overnight leader Lee Corfield finished solo third after the Englishman shot a closing one-over 72.

Morocco’s Younes El Hassani finished a creditable fourth alongside Scot Jack McDonald after posting a final round 70. On six-under-par 207, El Hassani comfortably won the MENA division by two shots over compatriot Faycal Serghini, who carded a final round 68. Ahmed-Reda Rhazali and Mohamed Belaroussia were a distant third in the Arab division at three over.

Dutchman Pierre Junior Verlaar led from start to finish to win the amateur division on one under, a seven shots ahead of England’s Todd Clements.

The MENA Tour travels to Mohammedia, a port city on the west coast of Morocco between Casablanca and Rabat, for the Royal Golf Mohammedia Open at Royal Golf D’Anfa, another $40,0000 event starting on March 19. The MENA Tour’s first amateur winner, Rayhan Thomas, is included in the field after playing the European Tour’s Hero Indian Open.

Leo Lilja is pictured receiving the trophy from Ali Ouaziz, director of operations at Palmeraie Country Club. Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Tour, Imad Bufarik, the club’s golf manager, and Majid Bennis of HLO, were also present.

The post Spanish rookie wins on MENA Tour debut after negotiating marathon six hole playoff appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 35-year-old took a one-shot buffer into the final round of the tour’s season-opening Palmeraie Country Club Casablanca Open Thursday after adding a blemish free 66 Wednesday to his opening 68.

Corfield, -8 through 36 holes, was one clear of compatriot Stuart Archibald who also fired a 66 Wednesday while a second round 70 had first-round leader Luke Joy two adrift entering the final round of the $40,000, 54-holer.

Morocco’s Younes El Hassani, Scot Jack McDonald and Spaniard Leo Lilja shared fourth on -5 as three shots separated the top seven, promising a thrilling finish Thursday.

“Played pretty good on the front nine and scrambled very well coming in,” was Corfield’s assessment of his second round. “It was tricky out there because of the wind, but overall I am really pleased with my day’s work and looking forward to the final round.”

Archibald, who picked up two shots on the front nine and three more coming home Wednesday, will go in search of his maiden MENA Tour win today.

“It feels nice to post a bogey-free round early in the season which shows my game is in good shape. I drove the ball well and hit some nice iron shots,” said Archibald, who was placed tied fifth after an opening 69.

“I did hit a few errant shots, but managed to get away with them with some good up-and-downs and that kept the round going and ticking over.

“The course is really good this week. It’s quite long with firm fairways. There is not too much rough out there, but it’s well bunkered. If you miss the fairways, you can get punished. The greens are nice to putt on which is great. This course is really a good addition to the Moroccan swing.”

Morocco’s El Hassani matched the day’s best score of a 66 to keep alive his chances of a breakthrough win on the tour. “I am striking the ball really well. Holed some good putts out there.

“If I can keep the momentum rolling into the final round, I think I stand good chance to get the job done,” said the experienced El Hassani, who leads the MENA Division by four shots over his fellow countrymen Faycal Serghini and Ahmed-Reda Rhazali.

Elsewhere, England’s Andrew Marshall shot back-to-back 71s to take a share of 16^th on level par while Joshua White, the 2014 MENA Tour Order of Merit champion, moved into a tie for eighth on -1 after carding a second round 72. Dutchman Pierre Junior Verlaar stayed on top in the amateur division after a second round 71, five clear of England’s Todd Clements.

The cut was made at +3 145 with 54 professionals and 10 amateurs making it to the final round. Among the notables to miss out were 10-time winner Zane Scotland (+4), Ian Poulter’s brother Danny Poulter (+6) and former England cricketer Craig Kieswetter (+7).

The post Englishman Lee Corfield eyes fifth MENA Tour win in Casablanca appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.