England’s Andrew Marshall turned back the clock to post a flawless four-under 68 to surge ahead as MENA Golf Tour graduates from the qualifying school made their present felt on the opening day of the Royal Golf Mohammedia Open by HLO in Casablanca, Morocco.
The 42-year old Marshall made his pro career debut in the 2007 British Masters at The Belfry, picked up one birdie on his front nine and three over the inward half for his one-shot lead over log jam of seven players at three under par.
Those at three under par include Peter Gustafsson and Jean-Luc Burnier, who both earned their full playing privileges on the tour through the qualifying school held in Sotogrande in Spain recently.
Marshall turned pro in 1995 and was a mainstay on the European Tour for many years.
England’s Andrew Marshall leads on day one in Casablanca.
In 2001 he finished 4th on the secondary Challenge Tour to earn his full main tour card.
In late 2001, in one of his first tournaments as a full member of the European Tour he finished 6th at the Omega Hong Kong Open. However, he failed to build on that start and had to regain his card via qualifying school at the end of the 2002.
Marshall maintained his playing status through the end of the 2007 season, with a best end of season ranking of 73rd on the Order of Merit in 2006, and best tournament results of runner-up at the 2003 Madeira Island Open and also in the 2006 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in Scotland.
In 2007, he slipped down the rankings and had to drop down to the Challenge Tour for 2008.
And showing he has not lost the way to win as in 2012 Marshall completed a hat-trick of titles in Bahrain by winning the Fifth King Hamad Trophy over the Royal Golf Club’s Montgomerie Course in Riffa.
Also taking a share of the second was the England’s Zane Scotland, a nine-time winner on the tour, and Morocco’s Amine Joudar on a day when intermittent rains and heavy winds made things difficult for players.
Andrew Marshall (Photo – www.europeantour.com)
England’s Joe Heraty and Ryan Smith of Australia were tied for ninth a further shot adrift at two-under 70 as 16 players broke par on day one of the season-opening event.
“I played really well and could have done even better, but just could not take advantage of par-5s, which was a shame,” said Marshall, a former member of the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, who finished in a tie for third at the inaugural MENA Golf Tour Qualifying School.
“The course is in great condition and rewards you for good shots,” he added.
Elsewhere, England’s James Allan, playing in his very first round as a professional, shot a one-under 71 while defending champion Paul Doherty of Scotland settled for level par 72, one shot ahead of England’s Miles Tunnicliff, a two-time winner on the European Tour.
MENA Golf Tour graduates also had plenty to cheer about.
“I played for the first time on this course and it felt good,” said Gustafsson, who lit up his round with three birdies and an eagle in a stunning five-hole stretch, starting from the ninth.
“I feel my game is coming back. I hit a lot of greens, but didn’t make that many putts. In general, it was a pretty solid round, though I hit a couple of wayward drives coming home,” said the Swede, who finished tied 12th at the qualifying
“The course course wasn’t playing too long and the conditions out there were pretty impressive,” he added.
Switzerland’s Burnier was equally pleased with his round. “I have been coming to Morocco for the last 10 years and so and have played this course before. It was a bit difficult to string together your round because of rains and wind, but the course is in great shape, which helped,” he said.
Jamal Allali of Morocco returned a level-par 72 to lead the amateur division, one shot ahead of compatriot Amine El Malki and Nicolas Claverie of Wallis and Morocco’s number one Joudar mixed six birdies, including four in a row from the 11th, to lead the MENA Division, ahead of his compatriot Younes El Hassani, who carded a neat 72.
