Morocco’s El Hassani battles into contention at Mena Golf Tour Dubai Creek Open
Younes El Hassani battled swirling winds to stay in contention for the MENA Golf Tour’s Dubai Creek Open as Trevor Marshall did well to hang on to his overnight lead, going into Wednesday’s final round.
The Moroccan ace fired a second level-par 71 on the trot to lie four shot behind South Africa’s Marshall who dropped two shots in the last three holes to settle for a 71, reaching four-under 138 at the tree-lined Dubai Creek course.
With just four shots separating the top six, the prognosis for the final’s day proceedings points to a thrilling finish, something which has become a tradition on the MENA Golf Tour.
Snapping on heels of the leader Marshall is England’s Zane Scotland, who followed his first round 69 with a 70 to move to three-under 139, one shot ahead of his compatriot Asian Tour veteran Asian Tour veteran Yasin Ali and two off Ian Keenan and Max Williams (amateur).
El Hassani, by his own reckoning, played solid golf and could have finished in red numbers, but three-putted the 18th for the lone bogey on his card. “I think I am playing really well and have reason to believe that I can post a strong finish, if not a victory.
“It was pretty tough out there because of strong winds, but I managed to grind out a 71, a decent score which has further added to my confidence,” said El Hassani, who finished runner-up to Scotland in the tour’s opening event in Rabat.
Marshall, who is looking for his win on the tour, admitted he struggled coming down the stretch. “I finished bogey-par-bogey which was a bit disappointing. But considering the windy conditions, I think it wasn’t a bad day at the office.”
UAE’s Ahmed Al Musharrekh, who shot a three-over 74 in the first round, triple bogeyed the 17th and 18th after going into water to stumble to an 83, missing the cut by six shots.
The cut was made at nine-over 151 and those notables making it to the final round included Bahraini veteran Hamad Mubarak and Morocco’s Mustapha El Maouas.
Morocco’s Ahmed Marjan, who won amateur division in both the first two events on the 2013 edition of the MENA Golf Tour held in Morocco earlier in March, however, missed his cut on the tour after returning a second round score of 7-over 78 for a 10-over total of 152.
Leading scores after second round (professionals) – par-71
138 – Trevor Marshall (South Africa) 67 71
139 – Zane Scotland (England) 69 70
140 – Yasin Ali (England) 70 70
141 – Ian Keenan (England) 70 71
142 – Younes El Hassani (Morocco) 71 71
143 – William Harrold (England) 74 69, Jake Shepherd (England) 74 69
Amateurs:
140 – Max Williams (England) 70 70
145 – Michael Harradine (Switzerland) 70 75; James Allan (England) 69 76
149 – Ryan Riley (England) 74 75; Jean-Michel Hall (England) 79 71
