El Jadida: Florian Praegant shot a bogey-free four-under-par 68 to seize the early advantage after the opening round of the El Jadida Championship – the second event in the 19-stage 2016 Mena Golf Tour season – on Monday.
The 32-year-old Austrian birdied the first hole and picked up another three shots on the back nine to finish two strokes ahead of England’s Andrew Marshall and three clear of England’s Craig Hinton and Sweden’s Fredrik Lindblom.
Morocco’s Yassine Touhami led the amateur division with a level-par 72, three clear of his compatriot Jamal Allali, as Ahmad Marjan spearheaded the Mena division for professionals, with an opening 72.
Praegant had lost out on a maiden Mena tour title at Dubai Creek in a three-way play-off last season, but now looks to go one better despite windy conditions.
“I played really good golf and had many nice birdie chances out there,” said Praegant. “My score could have been significantly lower with a little better luck on greens, as some of my putts, at least four to five, lipped out.
“I could have been easily six to seven under, but, at the end of the day, I am very happy with four under as the conditions were not that easy because of the wind and also because you needed to shape the ball on some of the holes.
“The course is playing really nice, but you have to be a bit careful on some of the holes which have trees in the middle of the fairways, requiring accurate approach shots.
“I am pleased with the start and look forward to keep the momentum going all the way through,” he added.
Elsewhere, England’s Zane Scotland, winner of the Mena Tour season-opener in Mohammedia last week, shot 76, while last year’s Order of Merit winner Thriston Lawrence of South Africa hit 78, dropping five shots on the back nine.
The UAE-based Mena Tour was founded in 2011 in order to provide local amateur golfers with a stepping stone to professionalism. This year’s series kicked-off with a qualifying school in Spain last month and after two stops in Morocco it will now head to events in Spain, the UAE, Thailand, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Egypt.
