France’s Pierre Pineau holds a one-shot lead heading into the final round of the Hilton Classic at Al Houara Golf Club in Tangier after battling to a two-under-par 70 in what proved arguably the most challenging conditions of the MENA Golf Tour season so far – with Italy’s Jacopo Vecchi Fossa producing a stunning six-under 66 to storm into contention despite the torrential afternoon rain.
Pineau, who began the day on three under par, made four birdies against two bogeys to move to five under overall and head a congested leaderboard by a single shot. He navigated the morning conditions well enough, reaching the turn one under for his round, before digging deep on the back nine as the weather deteriorated sharply.
“On the back nine I just fought as hard as I could,” Pineau said. “The rain was not so much about distance – it was more about the ball sliding on the face on chips and wedges. I have played in tough, changing weather before so I felt comfortable adapting.”
“It would mean a lot to win because I have struggled over the last 12 months, so it would be a big boost of confidence,” he added. “After today my confidence is in a good place.”
Three players share second place on four under par. England’s Curtis Knipes carded a composed 71, making birdies at the ninth, 13th and 15th to offset bogeys at the first and 17th and maintain his challenge. Pakistan’s Aadam Syed also signed for a 71, his four birdies countered by three dropped shots in a battling round he described as a constant test of patience.
“It was a real battle out there today,” Syed said. “Yesterday was windy but it eased over the last six holes and you could start firing at flags. Today it was constant all day, so patience was key.”
Syed, who had his father on the bag, is chasing a first professional title and knows what it would mean.
“To win on the MENA Golf Tour would mean a great deal,” he said. “I have not won as a professional yet, so to tick that off would be huge and would confirm to myself that I am good enough.”
The third member of the second-place trio was the story of the day. Vecchi Fossa, who started on the first tee, produced a flawless six-under 66 – the round of the day by some distance – featuring four birdies and an eagle at the 10th, all without a bogey despite the increasingly brutal afternoon conditions.
“Honestly, I don’t really know how I did it,” Vecchi Fossa said. “On the back nine it was rain and wind the whole way and I was hitting hybrid and three wood into par fours straight into the wind. It was crazy out there. The hardest part was gripping the club with so much water, but I managed to hit a lot of fairways and the putts went in, which made the difference.”
France’s Andoni Etchenique and overnight leader Aron Zemmer, who slipped back with a two-over 74, share fifth place on three under par. Ireland’s Alex Maguire, the round one co-leader, also dropped two shots on the day to sit at two under alongside New Zealand’s Luke Kidd and Ireland’s Paul McBride in a tie for seventh.
Ayoub Lguirati remains the highest-placed Moroccan heading into the final round, the home favourite signing for a 74 to sit on two over par in a share of 20th place, with compatriots Ayoub Ssouadi and Issam Nakrou also making the cut.
The final round of the Hilton Classic gets underway on Wednesday, with the USD $100,000 prize fund and Official World Golf Ranking points on the line.
