Antoine Schwartz shot a bogey-free 66 to lead the MENA Tour’s Ghala Open in Omen, less than a week after his best friend Sebastien Gros claimed victory in the NewGisa Open

LESS than a week after his best friend won a title on the MENA Tour, Frenchman Antoine Schwartz was enjoying the rub-on effect as he took sole possession of lead after the opening round of the Ghala Open on Monday.

The 30-year-old from Suresnes, near Paris, posted a bogey-free six-under par 66 and was leading a bunch of exciting young talent by a shot after a five-under par 67.

That cosmopolitan group included two Open Championship Silver medalists – Kent’s Alfie Plant and Scotland’s Sam Locke – Russian amateur Ivan Striganov, American Kevin Rhoderick, Ireland’s Paul McBride and Wentworth’s Jake Ayres.

Schwartz’s best friend Sebastien Gros, winner of last week’s NewGiza Open, in Cairo, and a former European Tour star, shot a 68 and was tied eighth along with six other players.

At the Ghala Golf Club, Schwartz started the day on the 10th tee and picked up shots on the 15th, 18th and second holes, before making an eagle on the par-five fourth, where he stiffed a three-iron from 258 yards to four feet.

Schwartz then made another gain on the seventh hole to post the leading total on the first day in Oman.

“It was a very good round,” said Schwartz, who had shot a 10-under 62 on the MENA Tour last year in Dubai Hills.

“I hit the ball solid and even though I missed a few other birdie chances, you cannot be disappointed with a 66. There are always going to be a few putts that you are going to miss,”

“Sebastien is my best friend and it is always good to see your best friend do well. We both have the same status on the Challenge Tour and we will not get many starts before May.

“So we got talking and I told him that instead of staying in France, he needed to try the MENA Tour because it is an amazing Tour with very good weather, very good golf courses and very good competition.

“So, he came and won in his second event. I am waiting for my share of the prize money!”

Plant, the Silver Medal winner as the low amateur at the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale, and Locke – the low amateur 12 months later at Carnoustie – were paired together and took different routes to their 67s.

Kent’s Alfie Plant shot 30 on the back nine having started with a triple-bogey seven to card a 67 and end up in. a six-way share of second place at Oman’s Ghala Golf Club

Plant’s round included a triple-bogey seven on the par-four eighth hole before he had a sizzling back nine coming home in just 30.

Locke was bogey-free after saving a courageous par on the final hole where he drove it into some wispy bushes, then chipped out backwards and made his up-and-down with a putt from 12 feet.

“I played very steady today and was bogey-free,” said Locke. “Managed to save a good par in the end, which is always nice. Just need to get my wedges closer tomorrow and it can be even better.”

Plant, who had a successful season on the EuroPro Tour in 2019 earning a card on the Challenge Tour said: “My day was all right.

“Had a triple in there, which is always nice to see. But I bounced back well from that and had a chance to shoot 29 on the back nine, but missed a short putt on the last.”

Striganov, a 16-year-old from Moscow, was delighted with his round that included two bogeys and was his second-best round in a competition.

“I shot a seven-under par in Portugal recently. But this was very nice because I made seven birdies and did not make too many mistakes and played really well,” said Striganov.

Dubai-based 15-year-old Josh Hill, the reigning Amateur Journey to Jordan champion, shot an even-par 72 after hitting his first tee shot out of bounds.

Professional Journey to Jordan champion, MG Keyser, from South Africa, started with a two-under par 70.

•For second round scores in Oman click here.

Scotland’s Sam Locke one of six players in second place in the MENA Tour’s Ghala Open

The post Schwartz inspired by Gros’ win in NewGiza Open to take lead in Oman’s Ghala Open appeared first on Golf North.

Sebastien Gros (right) with Ali Mohamed, director of Operations at the NewGiza Golf Club after his two-shot victory over Yorkshire rookie David Hague

FRENCHMAN Sebastien Gros is determined to resuscitate his career this year.

And the two-time Challenge Tour winner made a brilliant start in that direction by claiming the inaugural NewGiza Open.

Gros said: “This is fantastic. I have worked very hard this winter along with my team.

“To get a win so early in the season is surely going to give me a lot of confidence going forward.”

The Frenchman took full advantage of the easier opening stretch of NewGiza Golf Club’s stunning course built in an old quarry against the backdrop of Cairo’s famous Pyramids.

Gros made three birdies in his first four holes, and then added two more in a round which saw him hit 16 greens in regulation.

“I missed the green on the eight and had a poor tee shot on the 16,” said Sebastien Gros.

“Those were the only two holes where I had to battle for pars. It was very solid otherwise.

“I got off to a good start and was very pleased when I two-putted for birdie from 95 feet on the third.

“That was a very good first putt to tap-in distance despite facing two or three breaks,” Gros added.

“Immediately after that, I hit what was possibly my best shot of the day on the fourth – a five-iron against the wind to about six feet.

“It was after that fourth hole that I felt I could win this. My long game was very good throughout the day once again, and even though I missed a few other birdie chances, I putted well too.”

The 31-year-old – who lost his European Tour card in 2018 after playing at the highest level for three years – started the final round two shots behind overnight leader Curtis Knipes.

But having overtaken the 2018 English Champion of Champions, Gros finished two ahead of eventual runner-up David Hague.

Gros played a second straight bogey-free round on his way to a five-under par 67 that was one better than his second-round 68 to post 13-under.

It proved enough to claim the winner’s cheque of $13,500 and moved him into second place on the Journey to Jordan rankings, with a place in next year’s Dubai Desert Classic going to the eventual MENA Tour Order of Merit winner.

Hague close to victory at NewGiza in just second start on MENA Tour

YORKSHIRE’S former England amateur international David Hague charged through the field with a seven-under par 65 on Thursday.

Young Hague, who decided to turn pro after securing his card at the MENA Tour Qualifying School, almost turned his second start as a professional into a dream win.

Last year’s Lee Westwood Trophy winner could have finished much better than his eventual 11-under total.

But Hague paid the price of making a late bogey on the par-five 17th hole.

Hague entered the MENA Tour Qualifying School as an amateur, turned pro right after securing his card.

And he was delighted with his performance this early in his professional career, having faded out of the race for a Walker Cup call-up against the Americans at Hoylake last year, after being a regular in the England set up for three years.

“I got off to a hot start and was eight-under par through 13 holes,” said Hague.

“Slightly disappointed with the finish as I missed a birdie chance from six feet on the 15th, then three-putted from 15 feet on the 17th hole for my only bogey of the day.

“I also missed an eight-footer on the 18th,” said the 23-year-old, from Malton and Norton GC, near York.

“But seven-under par is a great round and I am really pleased with the way I have played, especially after missing the cut last week in Jordan.”

•Castle Royle’s David Langley, who finished tied eighth at NewGiza, leads the Journey to Jordan after two events, following his victory in the Journey to Jordan No. 1 last week.

Sebastien Gros trails Langley by $735 as the players prepare for the third of the 11-strong schedule for the firts half of the MENA Tour season.

Purcell takes third on MENA Tour debut

IRELAND’S Conor Purcell made a great start to his MENA Tour career as well, finishing tied third after a closing 67.

The Portmarnock pro, who played in Great Britain and Ireland’s Walker Cup defeat against the Americans at Hoylake, in September, finished alongside the promising Swede Niclas Weiland, who carded a 68.

Overnight leader Knipes meanwhile never got going after a triple-bogey seven on the par-four eighth hole.

The Essex ace, who qualified to play in last year’s Open at Royal Portrush, finally finished tied fifth at nine-under par, along with Scotland’s Scott Henry and Dorset’s Abu Dhabi-based pro Luke Joy, after both shot 69s.

The MENA Tour by Arena next moves to Muscat, Oman, for the Ghala Open from February 17-19.

The winner of the tournament gets a spot at the European Tour’s Oman Open, held the following week.

•For details of the players entered in the Ghala Open click here.

The post Sebastien Gros gets career back on track with NewGiza Open victory on MENA Tour appeared first on Golf North.