McArthur in contention but Saltman,

Gordon, Ramsay, Russell, Henry

fail to beat the cut in Morocco

By STEVE TODD

European Challenge Tour Press Officer

Former Scottish amateur champion Andrew McArthur from Glasgow is well placed going into the weekend of the Moroccan Classic after a second round 68 left him five shots behind leader Robert Coles of England.
McArthur, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, winner of the Reale Challenge de España in 2008, carded four birdies to finish on three under par at Pullman El Jadida Royal Golf and Spa.
The 29 year old – who turns 30 next Friday – finished 44th on the European Challenge Tour Rankings last year and has made a relatively slow start so far in the new campaign, finishing tied 37th in Colombia and 60th in Kenya.
After a one over par opening round 73, McArthur posted two birdies either on the front nine and two more on the way home to move into contention in a share of seventh place.
Coles is the man to catch after a superb five under par 67 moved him three shots clear of Australian Matthew Zions.
“I was really pleased with the way I played today,” said Coles, who finished tied eighth in the Tusker Kenya Open. “I sank some really nice putts and it was great to get off to a good start with birdies on ten and 11.
“I’m pleased with the way I’m playing at the moment. I can’t guess how I’ll play tomorrow but I’m hitting a lot of greens. I think I made 15 out of 18 which is really good for me.
“The front nine for us was quite calm and it started to blow a bit more and I think that is going to get worse so it is a good score.
“It’s a bit boring but I’m just going to take each hole as it comes tomorrow but I’m in good shape going into the weekend. The course can be tough – there’s nothing easy out there.
“I want to keep playing well as it’s been a good start to the season for me so far. I’ve never been a quick starter so this is nice!”
McArthur’s compatriots George Murray and Jamie McLeary also made the cut but there was disappointment for Scott Henry, Raymond Russell, Eric Ramsay, Lloyd Saltman and Graham Gordon who all failed to make it to the weekend.
SECOND-ROUND SCOREBOARD

+71 players made the cut with totals of 148 (+4) or better

136 R Coles (Eng) 69 67.
139 M Zions (Aus) 71 68.
140 J Moul (Eng) 69 71, J Sjöholm (Swe) 69 71, J Quesne (Fra) 69 71, J Sköld (Swe) 69 71.
141 B Evans (Eng) 71 70, T Cruz (Por) 70 71, B Teilleria (Fra) 73 68, D Nouailhac (Fra) 72 69, G Boyd (Eng) 71 70, A Hansen (Den) 70 71, A McArthur (Sco) 73 68.
142 O David (Fra) 72 70, S Reale (Ita) 74 68, J Clément (Sui) 68 74.
143 V Riu (Fra) 71 72, B Miarka (Ger) 71 72, M Delpodio (Ita) 71 72, L Richard (Bel) 71 72, G Davies (Eng) 70 73,
144 J Guerrier (Fra) 73 71, L Westerberg (Swe) 73 71, G Murray (Sco) 70 74, T Whitehouse (Eng) 70 74, P Gustafsson (Swe) 75 69, A Haindl (RSA) 72 72, A Högberg (Swe) 73 71, T Feyrsinger (Aut) 70 74,
145 A Willey (Eng) 70 75, R Steiner (Aut) 74 71, S Jeppesen (Swe) 70 75, J Billot (Fra) 74 71, M Reale (Ita) 72 73, A Marshall (Eng) 74 71, J Wahlqvist (Swe) 71 74, K Sullivan (Wal) 69 76,
146 A Butterfield (Eng) 73 73, S Delagrange (Fra) 74 72, P Kaensche (Nor) 73 73, J Grillon (Fra) 73 73, J McLeary (Sco) 73 73, A Zanini (Ita) 73 73, E Molinari (Ita) 72 74, M Haastrup (Den) 76 70, M Korhonen (Fin) 72 74, S Juul (Den) 75 71, F Calmels (Fra) 70 76, B Lecuona (Fra) 73 73,
147 R Kakko (Fin) 73 74, J Little (Eng) 74 73, L James (Eng) 79 68, R Harris (Eng) 73 74, L Bond (Wal) 71 76, R McEvoy (Eng) 75 72, P Bocian (Swe) 75 72, R Diab (Mar) 73 74, J Axgren (Swe) 71 76,
148 M Mills (Eng) 74 74, P Terreni (Ita) 78 70, L Kennedy (Eng) 76 72, C Gane (Eng) 72 76, M McGeady (Irl) 75 73, S Saavedra (Arg) 73 75, P Del Grosso (Arg) 75 73, F Schoettel (Fra) 76 72, L Brovold (Nor) 75 73, A Wagner (Arg) 75 73, D Griffiths (Eng) 77 71, T Schuster (Ger) 71 77, Y El Hassani (Mar) 74 74,
MISSED THE CUT
149 P Golding (Eng) 70 79, G Molteni (Ita) 77 72, A Gee (Eng) 74 75, S Henry (Sco) 75 74, C Brazillier (Fra) 78 71, B Mason (Eng) 78 71, Y Ali (Eng) 74 75, R Gonzalez (Arg) 75 74, J Ruth (Eng) 71 78,
150 R Russell (Sco) 77 73, C Russo (Fra) 74 76, N Joakimides (Fra) 72 78, C Moriarty (Irl) 78 72, R Steele (Eng) 74 76, R Kilpatrick (Nir) 73 77, J Morrison (Eng) 75 75, K Jorgensen (Den) 75 75, G Shaw (Nir) 75 75, A Bruschi (Ita) 70 80,
151 M Mauret (Fra) 75 76, R Karlberg (Swe) 76 75, C Menut (Fra) 77 74, R Santos (Por) 73 78, A Bernadet (Fra) 80 71, J Parry (Eng) 78 73, D Hewan (RSA) 70 81,
152 J Forestier (Fra) 76 76, M Kramer (Ger) 77 75, S Robinson (Eng) 73 79, D Marmion (Eng) 75 77, C Carranza (Arg) 77 75, A Grenier (Fra) 75 77, N Meitinger (Ger) 75 77, B Parker (Eng) 79 73, N Maestroni (Ita) 76 76, N Smith (USA) 77 75, R Treis (Ger) 77 75,
153 I Giner (Esp) 78 75, M Rominger (Sui) 79 74, N Fox (Irl) 74 79, N Colsaerts (Bel) 80 73, Y Benchetrit (Fra) 76 77, R De Sousa (Sui) 77 76,
154 A Joudar (Mar) 74 80, N Vanhootegem (Bel) 72 82, A Mellor (Eng) 75 79, L Saltman (Sco) 83 71, G Gresse (Bel) 78 76, O Floren (Swe) 74 80, J Heath (Eng) 76 78, C Monasterio (Arg) 76 78, J Burnier (Sui) 73 81, B Pettersson (Swe) 75 79,
155 S Piaget (Mon) 78 77, E Ramsay (Sco) 81 74, O Suhr (Den) 78 77, D Ulrich (Sui) 80 75, B Taylor (Eng) 80 75,
156 A El Hali (Mar) 79 77, D Küpper (Ger) 78 78, N Makroune (Mar) 76 80, T Ferreira (RSA) 80 76,
157 D Froreich (Ger) 78 79, F Praegant (Aut) 79 78,
158 F Serghini (Mar) 85 73, N Harris (Eng) 80 78, G Gordon (Sco) 82 76, E Chaudouet (Fra) 81 77,
159 A Mörk (Fra) 77 82,
160 J Zaroili (am) (Mar) 84 76,
161 M El Kherraz (Mar) 80 81, M Pilkington (Wal) 85 76,
162 A Louhi (Mar) 82 80,
163 R El Kherraz (Mar) 81 82, A Karroum (Mar) 81 82,
164 T Benslimane (Mar) 83 81,
167 O Serghini (Mar) 88 79,