Two share lead in Sotogrande Masters
sotogrande — Gavin Moynihan and Mathieu DecottigniesLafon battled through wet and windy conditions to put themselves atop the leaderboard in the first round of the inaugural Sotogrande Masters on the Mena Golf Tour at La Reserva Golf Club on Monday.
Ireland’s Moynihan made three birdies and a bogey in his opening two-under 70 while Decottignies-Lafon of France kept it clean on the back nine as he picked up four shots after making the turn at two-over.
In their first season on the tour, the two early frontrunners are led by one shot over a four-man group which included England’s Lee Corfield, a three-time winner, and Spain’s Javier Gallegos, who topped the Mena Golf Tour Qualifying School held earlier this year.
Scotland’s Duncan Stewart and Mark Tullo of Chile were the other two players who moved into a tie for third on one-under 71 as tough weather conditions took its toll with many prominent players in the field struggling to break par.
Younes El Hassani carded a level-par 72 to lead the Mena Division for professionals while his fellow Moroccan Yassine Touhami seized the early initiative in the amateur division, returning a 76.
Among the notables, Wales’ Stephen Dodd, a three-time winner on the European Tour, and the Mena Golf Tour Order of Merit champion, Thriston Lawrence of South Africa, were tied for 30th on a 77, just one shot behind England’s Zane Scotland, a 10-time winner on the tour.
England’s Andrew Marshall, who currently leads the tour’s Order of Merit with a second and a first in the first two events on the tour, shot a one-over 73 to stay in contention for another strong finish.