Chelmsford Golf Club’s Curtis Knipes shot a superb 66 – with no bogeys – to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the NewGiza Open, on the MENA Tour’s first visit to Egypt

ESSEX’S Curtis Knipes was the main man in only his second start as a professional on the opening day of the $75,000 NewGiza Open.

The 19-year-old, who came through Final Qualifying to play in The Open at Royal Portrush last summer, fired a superb, bogey-free 66 to take a two-shot lead.

Knipes’s six-under par round gave him top spot on the leaderboard The first-ever MENA Tour event in Egypt.

At the 7,351-yard, par-72 Thomson Perrett & Lobb-designed golf course, Knipes made full use of the calmer early morning conditions.

The Chelmsford GC member was quick off the block with five birdies in his first seven holes, but then battled hard as the wind picked up.

The former England junior interntional then proceeded to make nine straight pars, before picking up his only shot on the back nine – on the par-five 17th hole – to open up a handy two-shot lead at the top.

A happy Curtis Knipes said: “Obviously, very pleased with a bogey-free round.

“It did get a little frustrating to make nine straight pars after such a hot start because when you are on a roll, you want them coming,” added Knipes, who is a two-time Essex Amateur Champion.

“I had good birdie chances on the ninth, 12th and 15th, before I finally made one on the 17th.

“I thought I hit a good three-quarter pitching wedge shot into the par-five hole, but was left with an 18-feet downhill putt and I luckily rolled that in,” said Curtis.

“I really like the golf course. It’s a good layout and it is in great condition. The greens are a bit tricky, but they are rolling nice.”

Why Curtis Knipes has pedigree of Faldo, Lyle, Westwood & Fleetwood

SEVEN players shot rounds of 68 to be in tied second place, but none could get closer to Knipes, the 2018 England Champion of Champions – a title won by the likes of Sandy Lyle, Nick Faldo, Lee Westwood and Tommy Fleetwood.

That group included Scotland’s Scott Henry, promising Swede Niclas Weiland, France’s Sebastian Gros and Lancashire’s former England international Joshua McMahon, Wiltshire’s Robbie Busher, Joe Heraty, Leeds, and Tom Sloman, the Somerset Walker Cup player.

The reigning Professional Journey to Jordan champion, South Africa’s Maither Keyser started his 2020 campaign with a two-under par 70, which left him tied for the 15th place.

That round included an eagle and four birdies.

Henry, a past winner on the Challenge Tour, had an almost diametrically opposite start to that of Knipes, missing birdie chances on his first six holes, including the second from five feet and on the third from about a foot.

“I was really struggling with my putter on the first few holes,” said the 2012 Kazakhstan Open champion.

“But I was happy with the way I was hitting the ball, controlling it well especially with my irons.”

“A lot of missed chances, but I am happy with a four-under par start. I am playing good and just need to sharpen up the putter a bit and hopefully, I will be contending.”

Busher and Heraty continued to show the form that helped them finish winner and joint runner-up in last week’s Troon Abu Dhabi Pro-Am, while Sloman continued his strong start to the MENA Tour in Jordan, where he finished tied second.

Castle Royle’s David Langley, winner of last week’s Journey to Jordan No. 1, started well with a 70.

UAE’s only professional, Ahmed Al Musharrekh fought back well from being two-over after six holes to finish on 71.

•To follow the progress of Curtis Knipes and the chasing pack in the second round of the NewGisa Open, click here.

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Scott Henry won the Kazakhstan Open seven years ago and a 66 at Tower Links GC gave him a one-shot lead going into the final round of the Ras Al Khaimah Open

SCOTLAND’S Scott Henry climbed to the top of the leaderboard after enjoying some serious family time during the Ras Al Khaimah Open.

The Challenge Tour regular followed his opening-round 65 with a six-under par 66, at the United Arab Emirates’ Tower Links Golf Club, on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old from Clydebank had brother-in-law Christopher Walker on the bag in the Arena-sponsored MENA event, the penultimate tournament on the Journey to Jordan before next month’s Tour Championship.

Henry’s idea of having fun was to add seven birdies and an eagle to his seven-birdie round on Monday, to take a one-shot lead over young Swede Niclas Weiland (67) and overnight leader Marco Iten (68) of Switzerland after posting a 13-under total.

Wellingborough GC’s Kyson Lloyd (65) moved into fourth place on 11-under after an excellent 65, while Burhill GC’s Australian Daniel Gaunt – trying to chase down South Africa’s MG Keyser in the Journey To Jordan – moved to tied fifth place at nine-under alongside Sweden’s Gabriel Axell, after they both shot 68.

Henry, winner of the 2012 Kazakhstan Open – which used to be the most valuable tournament on the European Challenge Tour – showed his class with a superb display from tee to green, especially on the front nine, including an eagle on the seventh.

Henry said: “I was five-under par through seven holes and I think it was the best I could have ever played tee-to-green.

“The back nine was a bit up and down and I played some scrappy shots coming in. But a birdie on the last was a good way to finish and I am looking forward to the challenge tomorrow,” added Henry.

“I have my brother-in-law on my bag this week and we had great fun on the course. He caddies for my wife (Kylie) on the Ladies European Tour, so he knows his business and he helped me enjoy my round.

“It doesn’t matter whether I am in the lead because I will have to go and play some aggressive golf and shoot some low number tomorrow.

“There are a lot of birdies on this golf course, so the only way I can protect my lead is if I make a few myself and stay ahead.”

His playing partner Weiland had an equally good start and was also five-under through seven, but could not keep pace with Henry on the back nine.

Even though four shots worse than his opening round 64, Iten was happy with his 68.

“The only disappointment was a bogey on the 17^th when I really wanted a birdie there and the last,” said Iten.

“At least I got one on the 18^th. I am playing good golf, so let’s wait and see what tomorrow brings,” said the Swiss player looking for some form going into next week’s European Tour Qualifying School, in Spain, after losing his Challenge Tour card last week.

Sweden’s Erik Lindwall made a hole-in-one on the par-three eighth hole, hitting a perfect six-iron from 214 yards. That helped him finish the round on four-under.

The cut was applied at level-par with 48 professionals and nine amateurs making it to the final round on Wednesday.

Hampshire’s 2017 Amateur Champion Harry Ellis has ground to make up if the former Florida State University player is to improve on his back-to-back runner-up finishes on the MENA TOUR.

The 24-year-old from Southampton, who is a member at Wentworth GC, carded a 68 to go with his opening 69 to sit in a share of eighth place, six shots behind Henry.

•For full live scoring from the final round of the Ras Al Khaimah Open click here.

Sweden’s Niclas Weiland who carded a 68 to lie in second place on the penultimate MENA Tour event of the 2019 season

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