Clement Batut starts as leader into the season
Red Sea Egyptian Classic 2018
Frenchman Clement Batut secured himself the lead at the first round of the Red Sea Egyptian Classic, the tour’s first event in 2018. With 6 under par the professional from Amiens has a one-stroke-advance towards Mateusz Gradecki from Poland.
Ain Sokhna/Ägypten – The first tournament-round of the season for Clement Batut was nearly flawless: The 27-year-old started at 11:35 am local time from tee 10 into the event with a birdie, four more followed on the next nine holes. Only on hole 3 the man from France needed one stroke more than par. But as he came to hole 4 and 7 two more birdies made their way onto his scorecard. As he reached the clubhouse, Batut scored a 66 and was ranked first on the leaderboard. A victory would be a highlight in his carreer, as his best result on the Pro Golf Tour so far was a shared seventh rank at the Haugschlag NÖ Open 2017.
Mateusz Gradecki from Poland only needed one stroke more than Batut. The second-ranked also had to note a bogey, but also six birdies were signed on his scorecard. Third place is shared by Batuts fellow-countryman Mathieu Decottignies Lafon, who has already won twice on the tour, and Chris Robb from Scotland, with eacg four under par. Another Scotsman is in the center of attention: Liam Johnston is currently ranked as shared 7th with -2. The rookie earned his category by winning the Q-School last season.
The second round of the Red Sea Egyptian Classic will start on Wednesday 7:10 am local time.