Morocco Golfer El Malki leads Amateur challenge at Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open
Scotland scores a hole in one to join Shepherd atop leaderboard. Moroccan amateur ace Amin El Malki turned in a fine performance to spearhead the region’s charge as Zane Scotland and Jack Shepherd seized joint control in Monday’s opening round at the MENA Golf Tour’s Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open.
On a warm sunny day at Al Badia Golf Club where there was little wind, El Malki shot a one-under 71, along with Switzerland’s Peter Stojanovski, to establish a one-stroke advantage over England’s Ross Hopwood and Max Williams and Morocco’s Ahmed Marjan.
The English duo of Scotland and Shepherd both fired seven-under-par 65s – one shy of the course record — to move one stroke clear of Scotland’s David Law and Ian Keenan (England) at the summit of a congested leaderboard.
Pakistan’s Hamza Amin and England’s Matthew Turner were a further shot on a five-under 67s as defending champion and tournament favourite Stephen Dodd settled for a level-par 72.
El Malki, who made the turn at two-under 34, also picked a shot each on the 14th and 18th, but a bogey on the 13th and a double-bogey on the par-3, 15th prevented him from taking sole possession of the lead in the amateur division.
England’s Scotland, who is also a ‘golf in DUBAi’ ambassador, produced the shot of the day when he aced the 185-yard, par-3, third, using a six iron for his sixth career hole in one and the first since turning professional in 2003.
An eagle on the par-6, eighth further boosted his round which contained just two bogeys, one in each half.
“The birdie of the first and then a hole in one on the third kind of set the tone for round and I managed to keep the momentum rolling all the way through,” said Scotland, who is currently leading the Order of Merit standings with US$ 27,000 from the first four events on the tour this season.
The winner of the 2011 MENA Golf Tour Order of Merit title, Shepherd, was also quick off the blocks, reeling off three birdies and an eagle in a row from the fifth to join Scotland at the top of the leaderboard.
“I needed a solid round to boost my confidence since I have not been playing to my potential for the last 18th months or so. It has happened and, hopefully, I will be able to capitalize on it as the tournament progresses,” said the Englishman.
Pakistan’s Hamza Amin made his presence felt with a 5-under 67, despite double-bogeying the par-4, fourth when he overshot the green while trying to hit a plugged lie out of a bunker.
“Overall, I am pleased with my day’s work. I struck the ball and that was the key,” said the 25-year-old professional who lives in Innsbruck in Austria. “It was a good day, a solid day,” said Amin, who hit 17 greens to match the score of England’s Turner.
Among the notables, UAE’s Ahmed Al Musharrekh shot a two-over 74.
A superb initiative by the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour is supported by Omega and Mercedes-Benz. It is affiliated to the Arab Golf Federation and the R&A – golf’s governing body — and boasts a combined prize fund of $US 525,000, including $US 75,000 for the Tour Championship.
Leading scores after Round One (Par 72):
Professionals:
65 – Zane Scotland (England), Jake Shepherd (England)
66 – David Law (Scotland), Ian Keenan (England)
67 – Matthew Turner (England), Hamza Amin (Pakistan)
68 – Joshua White (England), William Harrold (England), Roland Steiner (Austria)
69 – Nicholas Mullhaupt (Switzerland)
70 – Tyler Hogarty (South Africa), Fredrik Quicker (Sweden), Chris Hanson (England), James Housby (England), Daniel Wardrop (England), Lee Corfield (England), Scott Ferguson (Zimbabwe)
71 – Sebastian Heisele (Germany), Greg Snow (Kenya), Shafiq Masih (Pakistan), Craig Hinton (England), Berni Reiter (Austria)
72 – Matt Hart (England), Sergio Gutierrez Sánchez (Spain), Jan Salcedo (US)
