Alex Maguire fired a five-under-par 67 to lead the Al Houara Classic after a challenging first round at Al Houara Golf Club in Tangier, the opening event of the MENA Golf Tour’s Morocco Series.
The Laytown and Bettystown man, one of the most consistent performers on tour this season, produced a composed display across the 6,766-yard layout, posting six birdies against a solitary bogey to head the leaderboard by one shot as the wind blew hard at the striking Atlantic coast venue.
“It was the windiest conditions I’ve played in for a long time,” said Maguire. “Growing up on the east coast of Ireland it’s something I’m used to, but it was mentally draining out there. Apart from the one bogey on 12, I managed to keep mistakes to a minimum, which was key. On a day like this, limiting dropped shots is more important than chasing birdies.”
Mark Power, playing on a tournament invitation, is three shots back of his fellow countryman and in sole possession of third place after a two-under round of 70 in which he made four birdies and two bogeys.
The Kilkenny native is coming off a solid week in Kenya where he made the most of a DP World Tour invite and made the cut, and Maguire was quick to acknowledge Power’s presence in the field, noting the pair seem to bring out the best in each other when competing in the same event.
England’s Joseph Pagdin sits one shot back in second place after carding a four-under-par 68. Pagdin put together a solid round featuring five birdies, with gains on the 1st, 9th, 10th, 15th and 17th, dropping just one shot at the 12th to stay firmly in contention heading into Friday’s second round.
“It was very gusty from start to finish and extremely challenging, but I’ve always enjoyed playing in the wind,” said Pagdin. “I was fortunate to keep the ball flight down, position it below the hole and manage my distances well. Mentally it’s exhausting – there wasn’t a single shot out there where you could switch off. It’s always good to post a number on day one and put yourself in position. The off-season preparation is paying off, but there’s still a lot of golf left.”
Three players share fourth position at one under par: English pair Luke Joy and Chris Wood alongside Czech Republic’s Jiri Zuska.
Paul McBride and Marc Boucher complete the Irish quartet, and McBride finds himself in good position inside the top 15 at +2 despite a double bogey on the par-5 15th, while Boucher struggled to a six-over 78 and shares 49th.
Top-performing Moroccan player Ayoub Lguirati showed his quality despite a mixed card, posting three birdies in a round of 74 to share 14th place on two over par. Lguirati’s best moments came with gains at the sixth and 16th, including a birdie two at the par-three 16th, as he kept local interest alive in the tournament. The Moroccan will be looking to move up the leaderboard over the remaining two rounds.
With 97 players completing the opening round, the cut will be made after round two on Friday before the final round concludes on Saturday. The Al Houara Classic carries a prize fund of USD $100,000 and awards Official World Golf Ranking points. The event is the first of two consecutive tournaments at Al Houara Golf Club, with the Hilton Classic following immediately from 2-4 March 2026.
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