Mena Tour players face Mohammadia challenge

Dubai: The Mena Golf Tour players are preparing for the tricky challenge of a weather-affected event when the Royal Golf D’Anfa Open takes place in Mohammadia, Morocco, on Tuesday.

The skies were overcast when the field arrived for the tour’s second competition over the weekend and weather forecasters are predicting intermittent rain over the port city during the next couple of days. The tournament will be played on the Royal Golf Anfa Mohammedia course, located next to the Atlantic Ocean.

Faycal Serghini, a seasoned Moroccan professional who is familiar with course conditions, said: “The course is short and requires an accurate tee shot due to strategically located fairway bunkers if you aim to shoot low. When the wind blows, which is likely to be the case, it becomes even more difficult to score on this course.

“But if you can keep the ball on the fairway, you can make lots of birdies,” added Serghini, who posted a top-15 finish in last week’s Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Open.

“I am not sure whether the course record [a 10-under 62] will be under threat, but we can definitely expect some good scores since there are many good players on the tour.

“I have this feeling that Moroccans will do well here. They are pretty used to playing on this layout, which is reminiscent of an old-fashioned Scottish seaside course with small dunes and tumbling fairways.”

Many international tournaments, including the Lalla Meryem Cup, a Ladies European Tour event, have been staged here, but this is the first time a Mena Tour event will be played here.

“The Mena Tour has done an awesome job in creating a competitive environment for emerging players, especially those from the region. We would be more than delighted to host the event every year,” said club manager Mohammad Dahbi Bouhlal, who is also head of Morocco’s Junior Golf Development Programme.

“For the last one month or so, our greenkeepers have been working hard to present the course in top condition and I am sure the players will relish a true test of golf.”

England’s Zane Scotland leads the Mena Tour Order of Merit after his success in the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Open at Rabat, where his three-round total of 209 gave him a five-shot victory over home player Younes El Hassani. Wales’ Stephen Dodd, Kenya’s Greg Snow and England’s Ian Keenan shared third a further two shots behind.