Albatross is highlight in Gallacher’s late burst

Stephen Gallacher transformed his opening round in spectacular fashion in the Trophee Hassan II in Morocco by sandwiching a first albatross as a professional with two birdies in the final three holes.

The late burst, which was highlighted by the recent Hero Indian Open winner holing a 3-iron from 240 yards, resulted in a five - under-par 68 at Royal Golf D a r E s S a l a m i n R a b a t , where he sits joint fourth, two shots behind pacesetter Jordan Smith.

“I had to flight it in a little bit,” said Gallacher of his majestic blow at the 577yard eighth, having started at the tenth. “It was 240, so I was trying to land it 225 and run it up the green.

“It came off perfect, the t r a j e c t o r y w a s p e r f e c t and it got a good bounce. I thought it was going to run up to eight feet or some - thing like that and it went in. I turned away and just heard everybody shout, so I was like, ‘oh, it’s in’. It was a nice feeling.”

T h e 4 3 - y e a r - o l d , w h o h a d b e e n t wo ove r a f te r five holes b efore ending his front nine with backto -back birdies, added: “I was going along okay at p a r. I wo u l d h ave t a ke n that today, but five under is better.”

In the LET’S Lalla Meryem Cup, which is running concurrently at the same venu e , C a r l y B o o t h , Ke l s e y Macdonald and R achael Taylor all sit just outside the top ten after level-par 73s as Swede Lina Boqvist took route 66 to the top of the leaderboard.

● C o n n o r Sy me i s j o i n t third after storming home in 30, six under, to op en with a seven-under 65 in Turkish Airlines Challenge at Samsun Golf Club on the Black Sea coast.