Quicker equals Al Badia Golf Course record to lead on day 1 of the Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open
Fredrik Quicker equalled the course record to power his way into the lead after the opening round of the Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open, the fifth and the penultimate event on the MENA Golf Tour, on Monday.
The Swedish prodigy put together a sizzling eight-under 64, matching the feat Canada’s Lindsay Renolds recorded last year, to go two clear of Scotland’s Tom Buchanan and three off ‘local boy’ Sebastian Heisele.
Zane Scotland and Stephen Dodd, the former European Tour players, were a further shot adrift on four under, staying within striking range of the early leaders as 21 players managed to break par on the challenging course designed by Robert Trent Jones II.
Defending champion Peter Richardson of England, however, slipped well down the leaderboard after signing off with a 75 while UAE’s Ahmed Al Musharrekh shot a 77, his best round since turning pro earlier this month.
Quicker admitted it was a great feeling to walk off the golf course and see his name on top of the leaderboard. “Everything fell in place. I played solid golf from start to finish and holing some early putts was the key.
“I knew about the course record and decided to give it a go, but my chip, just off the green, on the 18th missed the cup narrowly. A 63 would have been great, but I can’t complain,” said the 26-year-old pro, whose 64 was studded with nine birdies with one bogey.
“I have posted a top-10 finish in all the MENA Tour events this season, but hasn’t been able to close the deal. May be this is the time. I badly need to win this event to move up the Order of Merit table,” said Quicker, at present placed ninth in the standings
Heisele rode on a strong iron play to shoot a bogey-free 67 and his unexpected flirtation with the top of the leaderboard seemed like a victory for UAE-based players, who learned the basic rudiments of the game at the Junior Development Programme (JDP), started by the UAE Golf Association, now known as the Emirates Golf Federation.
Another JDP prodigy Michael Harradine could have easily matched Heisele’s score, but wrong club selections on two holes undermined his efforts.
“I double bogeyed the 12th and dropped another shot on the 14th after going into the bunker. I should have used a fairway metal wood on both the holes instead of going for driver. That was a mistake,” said Harradine, who eventually finished on two under.
Elsewhere, Anton Haig, the winner of the 2007 Johnnie Walker Classic, endured a disappointing day in the office, coming home with a two-over-74 and so was the case with Pakistan’s Matloob Ahmed who made a head-scratching 79.
Leading scores after first round (par-72):
64 – Fredrik Quicker (Sweden)
66 – Tom Buchanan (Scotland)
67 – Sebastian Heisele (Germany)
68 – Zane Scotland (England), Stephen Dodd (Wales)
69 – Mohamead Munir (Pakistan), William Harrold (England), Manish Goyal (India), James Housby (England), Callum Nicoll (Scotland)
70 – Cennydd Mills (Wales), Martin LeMesurier (England), Michael Harradine (AM –Switzerland), Lindsay Renolds (Canada), Yasin Ali (England), Alex Christie (England), Michael Borrett (England)
71 – Craig Smith (Wales), Nacer Makroune (Morocco), Mitchell Slorach (Singapore), Ross Bain (Scotland), Josh Uptmore (US)
