European Challenge Tour in Morocco

Greig Hutcheon leads by
two strokes after
an eight-birdie 65

By PAUL SYMES
Challenge Tour Press Officer
Aberdeenshire man Greig Hutcheon showed no signs of the serious shoulder injury which has hampered his recent career when he shot a seven under par 65 to take the lead on day one of the Banque Populaire Moroccan Classic on the European Challenge Tour.
The man from Crathes up the Dee Valley can no longer sleep on his right hand side after injuring his shoulder in a snowball fight in December 2004.
For "Hutch" to hit form early in the season is no surprise. He spends every winter at his father's villa at Penina on the Algarve, keeping his game in good nick by playing and practising every day.
He leads a quintet of challengers by two shots after carding eight birdies and a solitary bogey at El Jadida Sofitel Golf Resort in Morocco.
Hutcheon, picture above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved, the winner of last year’s Tartan Tour Order of Merit, is seeking his second Challenge Tour victory on Moroccan soil after his win in the Banque Commercial du Maroc in 2003.
He said: “The course is in fantastic condition, and the sun shines here a bit more than it does in Aberdeen! I plodded my way round without playing brilliantly today, but I’m enjoying my golf a lot more now. The injury focused my mind and taught me not to take anything for granted, because I’m in a privileged position.”
In hot pursuit on five under par are Holland’s Wil Besseling, winner of the II Club Colombia Masters last month; the English duo of Matthew Cort and Adam Gee; and Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey and Matthew Zions, who both eagled the 11th hole.
FIRST ROUND LEADERS
Par 72
65 G Hutcheon (Sco).
67 M Hoey (NIr), M Cort (Eng), M Zions (Aus), A Gee (Eng), W Besseling (Net).
68 B Evans (Eng), M Haastrup (Den).
69 N Vanhootegem (Bel), A Hogberg (Swe), J Axgren (Swe), J Clément (Sui), R Guillard (Fra), A Bossert (Sui), J Morgan (Eng),
70 N Colsaerts (Bel), C Moriarty (Ire), P Kaensche (Nor), J Hepworth (Eng), C Moriarty (Ire), A Bernadet (Fra), R Ramsay (Sco), M Crespi (Ita), S Reale (Ita), P Gasnier (Bra).
Other Scots' scores:
71 E Ramsay (jt 29th).
72 L Saltman, S Henderson (jt 47th).
74 G Murray (jt 85th).
76 R Russell (jt 127th).