On a rare Race to Dubai outing in his embryonic professional career, Germany’s Marcel Schneider showed off the talent that has seen him earmarked as one to watch this year on the European Challenge Tour, thanks to a top ten finish at the Trophee Hassan II.
The 25 year old continued a rich run of form that last year saw him finish top of the Satellite Pro Golf Tour Order of Merit, a feat that has earned him the right to play a full season on the second tier in 2015.
Ranked inside the top ten in the World Amateur Golf Ranking when he turned professional three years ago, Schneider has since shown a great affinity for the paid ranks en route to a couple of titles last year – both of which were in Morocco – and he continued that form last week.
His closing round of 67 on the final day at Golf du Palais Royal saw him finish a mere three shots adrift of eventual winner Richie Ramsay in a tie for ninth, the same mark as 2012 victorious Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazábal, a result that saw him gain plenty of momentum ahead of next week’s Barclays Kenya Open.
“It was an unbelievable finish for me,” said Schneider, who won the Australian Amateur Championship in 2012. “The week started a bit funny for me as my luggage didn’t arrive until a day later and I couldn’t play a practice round, so I’m happy to finish in the top ten at the end of the week.
“I played great all four days and got a bit more luck on the greens in the final day. I’ve played well in Morocco before, winning twice, but I’m not sure what it is about the country. The weather is always perfect, maybe that is the reason.
“It’s my third year as a professional, after I finished sixth on the world amateur rankings before turning pro and playing on the Pro Golf Tour. The first year wasn’t good, but then the second year I won the ranking, which gave me the chance to play this year on the Challenge Tour.
“After this tournament, I have hopefully built up some good experience that I can use on the Challenge Tour, and hopefully I will be able to compete there.
“I’ve met Martin Kaymer a couple of times, but I’m friends with some of the younger German players like Moritz Lampert, and it’s good to have a few of us trying to do well together.”
The young German will be joined in Kenya by more than ten of his fellow Satellite Tour graduates who all earned their way up through the Alps Tour, the EuroPro Tour and the Nordic Golf League – alongside the Pro Golf Tour – last season, while there will also be a number of more familiar names in attendance.
He will be joined in the field by Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia, England’s William Harrold, Frenchman Thomas Linard and Pierre Relecom of Belgium as the only other men to taste victory on the second tier over the previous 12 months.
Much like Schneider, Ben Evans also had a good week on The European Tour in Morocco, finishing alongside the German at seven under par. The man from England will therefore be another player looking to carry some early season form into this season as the campaign gathers pace at Karen Country Club.
Known for its sizeable crowds over the weekend, next week in Nairobi is sure to provide a springboard for some of the nation’s brightest golfing talent.
