Gavin Dear delivers positive start in Morocco

GAVIN Dear was sharing second place during the second round of the Alps Tour's weather-delayed Open de Mogador in Morocco.

The Perth rookie, who won the Alps circuit's qualifying school late last year, carried that form into the opening event of the 2010 campaign yesterday with a four-under 68 in his first round.

Dear was seven-under for the tournament and three off the lead after nine holes of his second round when play was stopped for the day. Steven Hume, the only other Scot in the field, had to settle for a four-over 76.

ALPS TOUR Open de Mogador, Morocco, Par 72: Leading first round scores, * denotes amateur

67 B Bozio (Fra), 68 R Kilpatrick (NIrl), L Dodd (Eng), G Dear (Sco), J Forestier (Fra), 69 M Del Podio (Ita), *M Rocchi (Fra). 70 J Palmer (Eng), *J Bordonado (Fra), D Carrera (Spa), G Del Boca (Ita), D Perrier (Fra). Other: 76 S Hume.