Craig Hinton Enjoys Hot Ride Down Route 66 In Abu Dhabi.

England’s Craig Hinton rode a strong birdie-eagle start en route to a six-under 66 that propelled him atop the leaderboard after the opening round of the MENA Golf Tour’s Ascorp Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open at Yas Links course on Monday.

The 27-year- old Englishman from Thame made five birdies and one eagle against a long bogey to go one clear of Joe Heraty of England and Kevin Esteve of Andorra on a hot and humid day when 28 players broke par.

England’s Lee Corfield, a four-time winner on the MENA Golf Tour, spearheaded the chasing pack alongside promising Dutch amateur Pierre Junior Verlaar a further shot adrift on four-under 68.

“I got off to a solid start and that kind of set the tone for the round. Played really good and didn’t miss much out there,” said Hinton who smashed his four iron from 232 yards to within 15 feet on the second and holed the eagle putt.

England's Craig Hinton hot foots it to a 66 on the first day of the  MENA Golf Tour Ascorp Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open.

England’s Craig Hinton hot foots it to a 66 on the first day of the MENA Golf Tour Ascorp Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open.

“The course is playing is good and its design is absolutely great. There are plenty of scoring opportunities there if you can keep the ball in play,” said Hinton who bogeyed the 18th after pulling his approach into the rough.

“It was pretty frustrating to end the round with a bogey, but overall I had fun. You can’t complain after shooting a 66,” said, Hinton, who won the Joburg Open earlier this season.

Playing in his first season on the MENA Golf Tour, Esteve was equally pleased with his day’s efforts.

“It was a pretty good day there. I drove the ball and putted solid. I could have done even better, but missed two easy birdie chances and then three putted the par-3, eighth for my only bogey of the day.

“I think I missed just one green and that shows I managed to keep the ball in play. It’s my best round on the MENA Golf Tour that I joined earlier this year. So, very pleased with my efforts,” said the 26-year- old who turned professional last year.

Morocco’s Younes El Hassani led the MENA Division for professionals after opening with a 71 one clear of UAE’s Ahmed Al Musharrekh as Bahrain’s Sam Hobday spearheaded the charge in the region’s amateur division after carding a level par 72 despite a double bogey on the ninth.

Al Musharrekh flew off the gate in style, reeling off three birdies in a row from the second before making the turn at four under. He picked up another shot on the par-5, 11th to move to five-under, but a quadruple bogey on the 12th halted his charge up the leaderboard when he pulled his drive, resulting in a lost ball.

“Take that hole away, I think I really played well. I am feeling quite confident about my game, going into the second round. If I can keep the momentum going,

I think I stand a good chance posting a nice score,” said Al Musharrekh, who is seeking his first win on the MENA Golf Tour.

Among the notables, Welsh ace Stephen Dodd and the English duo of Zane Scotland and Danny Poulter carded matching 72s while Andrew Marshall returned a one-under 71 and his fellow Englishman Luke Joy settled for a 73.

 

 



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