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.

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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.

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