Showing maturity beyond his years, rising Indian star Feroz Singh Garewal fired a tidy two-under 70 to take a share of the lead going into the final stage of the MENA Tour’s Qualifying School at Royal Golf El Jadida in Morocco on Tuesday.
The 19-year- old Chandigarh-based golfer, who turned professional in 2015, reeled off three birdies and a bogey to join Spain’s Leonardo Axel Lilja Moyano, who carded a level-par 72, atop the leaderboard on one over par 145.
England’s Billy Hemstock, Scotland’s Walker Cup winning star Grant Forrest and Sweden’s Henric Sturehed, who matched Garewal’s best score of the day, shared second, a further shot adrift, as Scot Jack Doherty occupied solo sixth on three over after carding a second-round 74.
Forrest is no stranger to success having captured last year’s prestigious Battle Trophy at Crail Golfing Society before eventually turning pro.
Joint leader Lilja Moyano produced one of the most eventful rounds of the day, playing his last 15 holes in four-under after a stumbling start that saw the Spaniard drop four shots in his first three holes.
Feroz Singh Garewal – Rising Indian star lying 1st heading to the final round of the 2017 MENA Tour Q-School. (Photo – Mena Tour)
Overnight joint leader Danny Poulter slipped into a tie for 11th on five over after signing for a 76 while former England cricketer Craig Kieswetter finished the day tied for 44th on 15 over after dropping eight shots, including a triple bogey on the par-4, 14th, in his last 11 holes en route to an indifferent 82.
Elsewhere, Ahmed Al Musharrekh also carded a mistake-laden 82 that left the UAE’s only professional sharing 53rd on 17 over on a day when only four players broke par in a reflection of tough scoring conditions at Royal Golf El Jadida.
The field was narrowed down to 72 players for the final stage 18-hole competition to be played on Thursday. Top 55 and ties from the final qualifying round will be eligible for Category-7 membership of the MENA Golf Tour for the 2017 season.
An initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour was created in 2011 with the aim of developing golf in the region. It is affiliated to R&A, the worldwide golf governing body based in the home of golf, St Andrews, and the Arab Golf Federation and enjoys the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status.
Multiple European Tour starts, including the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the Hassan II Trophy and the Maybank Championship Malaysia in addition to full playing privileges on the Sunshine Tour and exemptions into the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Q-School for the leading three professionals are some of the added incentives for the MENA Golf Tour members.
