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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Switzerland’s Marco Iten, who lost his European Challenge Tour card this month, made two eagles to lead the Ras Al Khaimah Open, on the MENA Tour, on Monday.

SWITZERLAND’S Marco Iten made a stunning debut on the MENA Tour as two eagles on the back nine of Tower Links Golf Club helped him soar to the top of the Ras Al Khaimah Open leaderboard on the opening day.

The 29-year-old, from Zurich, was playing on a special exemption – trying to get some match sharpness ahead of the second stage of next week’s European Tour Qualifying School, in Spain.

And he made the most of the opportunity, with a hot start, followed by a back nine of 30 thanks to his two eagles on his way to an eight-under par 64.

A shot behind the leader were Sweden’s Niclas Weiland and Scotland’s Scott Henry, who both shot 65 playing together in the second group in the morning.

The duo were later joined by EuroPro Tour regular Joshua Grenville-Wood, who holed out from 139 yards to eagle the par-four 15^th.

Australia’s Daniel Gaunt – hoping to make a big move in the Journey To Jordan where the Surrey-based Burhill GC pro is currently second behind leader MG Keyser, from South Africa – opened with a 67 in the United Arab Emirates.

England junior Josh Hill, who created worldwide headlines last week by becoming the youngest winner of an Official World Golf Ranking event, struggled on the greens.

The Dubai-based amateur came home in 78 after missing more than half a dozen par putts from inside the six-eight feet range, emphasising the highs and lows of the game.

Wentworth’s Harry Ellis, who finished second in the last two MENA Tour events to jump into contention on the Journey to Jordan, had to settle for a 69, which left the Hampshire double English and British Amateur Champion five shots behind Iten and down in 15th spot.

Iten started in bright fashion, hitting it to six feet on the first two par fours. Another gain on the par-five fifth was erased by his only bogey of the day on the eighth to make the turn in two-under.

On the back nine, Iten eagled the 13^th when he smashed a three-wood downwind from 290 yards to 20 feet. And on the 18^th he converted a 15-footer, having also made birdies on the 10^th and 15^th.

Iten said: “It was a good day. I got off to a fast start and managed to carry that momentum on to the back nine.=

“I was able to hit both the par-fives in two and make my putts,” added Iten, who lost his card on the European Challenge Tour this year.

“It definitely is a great confidence booster ahead of the second stage of the Q-School next week.

“I can do with a few tournament rounds ahead of that and was looking for a place to play and some of my friends told me how good the MENA Tour is.

“I am thankful for the opportunity and hopefully, we can take the momentum from this round to the next two days.”

Henry, who won Scottish Men’s and Boys’ Strokeplay double as an amateur, was bogey-free in his 65, while Weiland made one bogey.

“It’s always easier when a guy in the group is making all the putts like Niclas did,” said the 32-year-old, who married Scottish LET player Kylie Walker two years and competed against his wife in the Jordan Mixed Open, back in April.

We both played well and I think we fed off each other quite nicely,” said Scotsman Henry, another Challenge Tour regular, who is attached to Loch Lomond’s The Carrick GC.

•To follow scores on the 54-hole Ras Al Khaimah Open click here.

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Scott and Kylie Henry will become the first husband and wife to compete in the same professional tournament at this week’s Jordan Mixed Open. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

MORE than a trophy is on the line for Scott Henry and his wife Kylie this week with the married couple also playing for bragging rights in the inaugural staging of the Jordan Mixed Open.

The Scottish couple will become the first husband and wife to compete against one another in a professional golf tournament this week, with the pair set to do battle in the innovative event which features players from the European Challenge Tour, Staysure Tour and Ladies European Tour.

Although the couple met playing the game of golf, they admit there will be no love lost out on the course tomorrow when the tournament gets under way at Ayla Golf Club, on the Red Sea coast.

Scott said: “In terms of our finances, if we found ourselves coming down the stretch battling it out for the win that would be ideal – although it might not do much for the relationship.

The winner of the 2012 Kazakhstan Open on the Challenge Tour added: “We are both very competitive when we play each other and I probably do win most of the time.

“But Kylie has been coming into a good patch and beat me the other day. There will definitely be a bet between us and it will probably involve household chores. But the bragging rights will be the thing.”

The Henrys will each face a slightly different test this week, with the course set up at 7,100 yards for the Challenge Tour professionals, 6,601 for the over-50 players and 6,139 for the female competitors.

While Kylie, who is a two-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, admits there will be some rivalry, she does confess she’ll be transparent in her approach.

And she stressed they will both return to married life quickly once each day’s play is over.

Kylie said: “We won’t hide anything from each other in terms of strategy on how to play the course.

“We’re both really supportive of each other’s golf and we help each other as much as we can. We’ll discuss how our round goes, but then the golf chat is quickly finished, and we get back to just regular life together.

“We met through the game when we were teenagers in the Scottish set-up and we never imagined back then that we would be playing against each other in a professional event.”

Both players also admit how significant this week is for all three tours and golf more broadly, with 40 players from the Ladies European Tour, 40 from the Challenge Tour and 40 from the Staysure Tour all competing for the same first prize.

“This is a huge week for women’s golf,” Kylie said. “I think all the exposure that women’s golf can get is going to help, and if more girls and more women take the game up it’s a win-win situation.

“Maybe the fact that the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, the ANA Inspiration and the Jordan Mixed Open are all in the same week, there’s a lot of focus around women’s golf this week.”

“It’s great to have such big prize money for the girls and for the Challenge Tour guys as well,” said Scott.

“It definitely adds to the excitement. There’s not much better than winning a nice chunky cheque and a trophy at the end of the week.”

Also in the field this week are another couple – Norway’s Marianne Sakrnpnord and her fiancée Richard Green – who will also compete for a share of the $393,000 prize fund.

The 54-hole tournament will start on Thursday, at 7.30am local time – follow @Challenge_Tour, @StaysureTour and @LETGolf on Twitter for live updates from Jordan.

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