Al Ain: Lee Corfield rode a fast start with five birdies in first five holes to card a sizzling eight-under 63 and establish a healthy three-shot lead going into the second and penultimate round of the Mena Tour Championship on Sunday.
Defying blustery conditions, the defending champion wasted no time in seizing the initiative when he charged out of the blocks with a stunning birdie run then kept the momentum rolling all the way through, picking up four more shots coming home.
A bogey on the par-four, 11th, however, prevented the Englishman from equalling the course record 62 posted by his compatriot Joshua White last week at the Golf Citizen Masters, but he wasn’t complaining.
White himself kept his hopes of catching Professional Order of Merit leader Luke Joy with a five-under 66, which was matched by Spain’s Toni Ferrer as Jake Shepherd, the winner of the Order of Merit title in 2011, occupied solo fourth a further shot back on a day when 27 of the 47-man field returned a score of par or better.
“I am really very pleased with my efforts. It’s never a bad thing to start with a good round,” said the 32-year-old Corfield, who defeated Morocco’s Faycal Serghini in a playoff last year to win the Mena Tour Championship.
“I gave myself plenty of chances and holed some key putts, even though it was very windy out there. There is still a long way to go, but I feel comfortable on the course, which is in fantastic condition. If you hit the fairways, you stand a good chance of making birdies,” he added.
Spain’s Ferrer attributed his solid round to good putting. “I hit some good putts. Used a lot of three woods to find the fairways and it feels great to come away with a bogey-free round,” said the 23-year-old Spaniard. Equally pleased with his round was White.
“I picked up right where I left off last week. Just played solid golf,” said White, who finished runner-up his countryman Zane Scotland in the penultimate event on this season’s Mena Golf Tour.
