ROSS CAMERON'S GREAT START TO AL MAADEN CLASSIC

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Ross Cameron from Ellon, sponsored by Portlethen-based oil company Saltire Energy, produced his best performance in Morocco so far with a six-birdie, five-under-par 67 to be lying joint third, two shots behind the joint leaders, American Scott Travers and Germany's Marcel Harenza,  at the end of the first day of the EPD Tour's Al Maaden Classic over the Kyle Phillips-designed course at Marrakesh (pictured above).
Starting at the 10th, Cameron vbirdied the 10th, short 13th, long 13th and long 16th before dropping his only shot of the day, at the 17th.
Having covered his first nine holes in three-under 33, Ross held his game together well with a bogey-free second nine, studded with two more birdies, at the long fifth and eighth for 34.
Gavin Dear (Murrayshall) also started at the 10th and overcame a double bogey 5 at the short 12th with back-to-back birdies at the long 13th and 14th before dropping a shot at the short 15th to cover his first nine holes in one-over-par 37.
Dear dropped another at the first hole as he started his second nine but picked up three shots on par with a birdie 4 at the long fourth and an eagle 3 at the long seventh to  cover his second half in 34. He finished the day just inside the top 20 scores in joint 19th position.
Bracketed on the par-72 mark were Peterhead's Philip McLean and Paul O'Hara (Colville Park).
McLean birdied the second, seventh and 14th and had an eagle 3 at the 16th in halves of 37-35.
O'Hara, starting at the 10th moving two under par almost immediately with an eagle 3 at the 11th. He followed that with birdie 4s at the long 13th and long 16th but four bogeys took the gloss off that and saw him complete his first nine in level par 36.
Much more consistent after his turn, the Motherwell man birdied the long fourth but bogeyed the short sixth to score 36 also for his second nine.
Rookie David Law, starting at the 10th, covered his first nine holes in three-under-par 33 but took 40 shots for his second nine and a 73 left him in joint 42nd place.
The Aberdonian's birdies came at the 11th, short 13th, long 13th before he bogeyed the short 15th. He bounced back from that with an eagle 3 at the long 16th but cancelled that out quickly with a double bogey 6 at the 17th before a birdie at the 18th saw him complete his first nine in three-under 33.
His second nine was a different story - bogeys at the first, third, and fifth and  a double bogey 5 at the short sixth. Only one birdie - at the fourth. Law is joint 42nd going into Round 2.
Only the top 40 and ties after two rounds will qualify for the final round.
Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) continues to struggle as a pro. He is in joint 96th place in a field of 120 after a seven-over 79.
Starting at the 10th, Findlay had a double bogey 6 at the 17th and completed his first nine holes in five-over-par 36.
Things got slightly better for the Buchan loon on his second nine. He birdied the first, second and long seventh but shot himself in the foot again with a double bogey 7 at the long fourth in covering his second nine in two-over 38.

LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72
65 Scott Travers (US), Marcel Harenza (Ger).
67 Ross Cameron (Scotland).
68 Max Kramer (Germany), Sven Mauritz (Netherlands), Richard Porter (Germany).

OTHER SCOTS SCORES
71 Gavin Dear (T19).
72 Philip McLean, Paul O'Hara (T31).
73 David Law (T42).
79 Jordan Findlay (T96).