Perennial contenders and ‘golf in DUBAi’ ambassadors Faycal Serghini and Joshua White shot matching five-under 67s to seize the early momentum at the MENA Golf Tour’s Ascorp Abu Dhabi Golf Citizen Open at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club on Monday.
Morocco’s Serghini, who is a three-time runner-up on the tour, reeled off six birdies, including three in a row from the 13th, against a lone bogey while England’s White mixed seven birdies with two bogeys to move one shot clear of the English duo of Jake Shepherd and Tom Boys and Paul Bucan of Australia.
Scotland’s Daniel Kay occupied the solo sixth place a further shot adrift as a seven-man group which included Lee Corfield, a three-time winner on the MENA Tour, shared the seventh on two-under 70.
On a hot and humid day, Serghini and White summoned up great energy to hit “I stayed patient out there and that was the key,” said Serghini, adding: “I may not have struck the ball as sweetly as I w
Moroccan Faycal Serghini shares the lead in posting a 67 on day one at Saadiyet Beach, Abu Dhabi
ould have liked to, but putted very well.
“I was off to a good start, going two-under after the first hole and managed to keep the momentum rolling all the way through. That three successive birdies certainly made my day,” said the experienced Moroccan, who celebrated his 39th birthday last week.
The 2014 MENA champion, White, was equally delighted with his efforts. “I am playing some good golf at the moment and it is reflected on my scores. The goal is the same: to get into contention week in and week out,” said White, who finished third at the Dubai Creek Open last week.
“I felt pretty relaxed and every part of my game fell into place, which was quite pleasing,” said 23-year-old Englishman, whose opening round was highlighted by three consecutive birdies from the 15th.
England’s Todd Clements led the amateur division, returning a two-under 70, two ahead of his compatriot James Allan and Rayhan Thomas of India.
In the MENA Division, Mehdi Saissi carded a level-par 72 to move to second place behind Serghini as Younes El Hassani, Amine Joudar and Ahmed Marjane each settled for a 74.
Elsewhere, defending champion Luke Joy of England opened with a two-over 74 while Miles Tunnicliff, a two-time winner on the European Tour, shot a 76 and Zane Scotland, the most prolific winner on the MENA Golf Tour with nine wins, returned a 75.
Leading first round scores (par-72)
67 – Faycal Serghini (Morocco), Joshua White (England)
68 – Jake Shepherd (England), Tom Boys (England), Paul Bucan (Australia)
69- Daniel Kay (Scotland)
70 – Clarke Lutton (Scotland), Robert Harris (England), Chris McDonnell
(England), Lee Corfield (England), Scott Campbell (England), Todd Clements
(England-AM)
71 – Yasin Ali (England), Tyler Hogarty (South Africa), Sergi Nogué (Spain), Eddy
Koracevic (England), Jacques Paul Kruyswijk (South Africa), Dan Waite
(England), Fredrik Lindblom (Sweden), Florian Praegant (Austria).
