Seve Benson set the early pace on a morning of tough scoring at the Trophée Hassan II.
There were early showers at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam and just 18 players were under par midway through the morning session, with Benson leading the way at three under.
He made four birdies in his first 12 holes to take a one-shot lead over Dean Burmester, Lasse Jensen and Alexander Levy.
The Englishman, starting on the tenth, made birdies on the 13th and 14th before dropping a shot on the 18th but he bounced straight back with gains on the first and second.
That took him ahead of Jensen who had held the lead after birdies on the first, fifth and ninth. A double-bogey on the 11th dropped the Dane back but he bounced straight back with a birdie on the 12th.
Frenchman Levy has been in fine form of late with three top 15 finishes in his last five events and he had four birdies and two bogeys as he turned in 35 after starting on the tenth.
South African Burmester was playing in the same group as Levy and he made three birdies and a bogey as he also turned in 35.
There were then 14 players at one under including local favourite and World Number 1117 Younes El Hassani and European Tour debutant Nick Marsh.
