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| Kevin Phelan - Getty Images |
Kevin Phelan was the leading Irish player at the Trophée Hassan II in Rabat, Morocco on Thursday signing for a two under par round of 70 to trail the tournament leaders by just two strokes.
Gary Hurley ended his opening day one under after losing one of his had earned birdies on the final nine holes. He is joined overnight by Peter Lawrie who also carded a round of 71 with two birdies and a bogey on the par four third hole – and then seeing two putts lip out on the back nine.
Paul Dunne finished with a level par 72 after dropping a shot on the homeward leg at seventeen.
Cormac Sharvin finished one over par with a 73 after a steady round that just saw him drop two shots with a birdie three on his second hole.
Michael Hoey the 2012 winner in Agadir saw hopes slip when he rounded the Rabat course in 77 strokes. After missing two cuts in China in Shenzen and then Beijing at the Volvo China Open – in as many weeks - Hoey would have been looking for inspiration in a return to Morocco.
Rory McNamara ended his first European Tour event +8 and signing for a round of 80.
Jason Scrivener and Francesco Laporta set the clubhouse target as golfing history was made on day one at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.
The European Tour and the Ladies European Tour playing at the same venue concurrently for the first time with the men playing the Red Course and the women playing the Blue Course 50 miles up the coast from Casablanca.
The European Tour was returning to the venue in Rabat for the first time since 2010 and the Red Course layout was proving a major test as Scrivener and Laporta carded four under par rounds of 68 to take a one-shot advantage over home favourite Younes El Hassani and Frenchman Adrien Saddier.
Scrivener finished 117th in the Race to Dubai last season in his rookie year and had to come through Qualifying School for the second consecutive campaign but he has made a very consistent start to 2016, missing just one cut in nine events.
He continued that impressive form in Morocco, making birdies on the second, fourth, 11th, 14th and 15th, with a single bogey on the 13th.
Laporta recovered brilliantly from two early bogeys to join Scrivener in the clubhouse at four under with the help of an eagle on the 12th.
The rookie claimed the 15th card at Q-School in November but has made just one cut so far this season and began his round with bogeys on the second and third. He bounced back with birdies on the fifth, ninth and tenth before a three on the par five 12th and a birdie on the last catapulted him up the leaderboard.
Moroccan Faycal Serghini was also at four under after a flying start to his round, picking up birdies on the 11th, 12th, 13th and 15th.
El Hassani, the World Number 1117, began his round with 11 straight pars but then picked up a birdie on the third before he delighted the home fans with a chip-in on the seventh. Another gain was to follow on the ninth and he signed for a blemish-free opening 69.
Saddier also signed for a 69 with birdies on the fifth, tenth, 12th and 17th and a single bogey on the 14th.
Andrew Johnston proved he can handle tough courses as he won the Real Club Valderrama Open de España, Hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation last time out and he was in contention once again on Thursday.
The Englishman turned in level par 37 after starting on the tenth but back-to-back birdies on the fourth and fifth kick-started his round and, although he gave a shot back on the sixth, a brilliant approach to the seventh yielded another birdie.
Clément Berardo was also at two under alongside Ben Eccles, Renato Paratore and Romain Wattel.
Over on the Blue Course, Norway's Marianne Skarpnord had set the target at four under but unfortunately the news was not as good for fiancé Richard Green who opened with a ten over par 82.
