Dodd wins Mena Golf Tour event in Mohammedia

Stephen Dodd birdied the first playoff hole to hold off the English duo of Zane Scotland and Ian Keenan and win the MENA Golf Tour’s Royal Golf D'Anfa Open in Mohammedia on Thursday.

Dodd, a three-time winner on the European Tour, rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt for a wire-to-wire victory in a three-way playoff after the trio finished level on six-under in regulation play.

Scotland pushed his birdie putt inches wide and had to settle for a par while Keenan, who closed with a brilliant 66 – the tournament’s best score to get into the playoff - left his approach too short and ended up with a bogey.

"It feels nice get the job done,” said Dodd after receiving the winner’s trophy and a cheque for $9,000 from Fettah Mohamed, president of Royal Golf D’Anfa-Mohammedia.

Mustapha Zine, chairman of the Moroccan Golf Federation, Abderrahmane Boufetas, president of Dar Es Salam Golf Club and Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of MENA Golf Tour, were also present at the presentation ceremony.

Starting the day a good three shots ahead, Dodd failed to keep the momentum going and squandered the advantage by the 12th hole when Scotland drew level with him on six under.

Keenan, who was five shots off the pace going into the final round, made a stunning charge up the leaderboard when he eagled the 16th to get into contention.

Both Dodd and Scotland needed to birdie at least one of the two closing hole to deny the clubhouse leader, Keenan, a place in the playoff, but they settled for pars.

On the closing hole, Scotland cut his drive into the woods, but played a brilliant approach to salvage his par while Dodd narrowly missed his birdie putt.

“Obviously, I can’t complain after winning the tournament,” said Dodd, who finished tied third in last week’s MENA Golf Tour event in Rabat.

“The course was in great condition despite the inclement weather. There are plenty of good players on the tour who are potential winners. I am returning home with some fond memories of Morocco,” said Dodd, who closed with a 71.

England’s Scotland had his chances to make it two in a row, but just failed to summon his A-game. “Let’s be honest, I didn’t hit the ball well even though my score (a four-under 68) may not suggest it.

“Stephen is a great player and you have to be on top your game if you aim to challenge match, which wasn’t the case. He played better than me and deserved to win,” said the Englishman.

Scotland’s Duncan Stewart closed with back-to-back 70s to finish fourth on three-under 213, one shot ahead of Wales Matthew Dearden.

Morocco’s Ahmed Marjan comfortably kept up his dominance in the amateur division with rounds of 73, 73 and 70. “I am really pleased with my performance over last three days. I struck the ball beautifully and rolled in some nice putt. It feels great to win back-to-back titles in my division.”

The next tournament on the MENA Golf Tour – the American Express Dirab Golf Championship – will be played at Dirab Golf and Country in Saudi Arabia from September 16 to 18.

A new initiative by the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour is supported by Omega and Mercedes-Benz. It is affiliated to the Arab Golf Federation and the R&A - golf's governing body and boasts a combined prize fund of $ 575,000, including $75,000 for the Tour Championship.

Leading final scores (par-72):

210 – Stephen Dodd (Wales) 70 69 71 (wins in playoff), Zane Scotland (England) 72 70 68, Ian Keenan (England) 76 68 66
213 - Duncan Stewart (Scotland) 73 70 70
214 - Matthew Dearden (Wales) 75 70 69
215 - Daniel Wardrop (England) 73 70 72; Fredrik Quicker (Sweden) 72 70 73, Amine Joudar (Morocco) 77 67 71, Abdelhak Sabi (Morocco) 79 67 69, Greg  Snow (Kenya) 73 72 70

Leading amateurs:

216 - Ahmed Marjan (Morocco) 73 73 70
222 - Mehdi Saissi (Morocco) 75 74 73
223 - Amine El Malki (Morocco)
 

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