Quiros' birdie-birdie finish earns a share of Rabat lead

A birdie-birdie finish from Alvaro Quiros earned him a share of the Trophee Hassan II lead with Bradley Dredge after the first round in Rabat on Thursday.

Dredge looked set to head into Friday with a one-shot advantage over the rest of the field, but Quiros' late surge saw him card a five-under 67 and earn a place at the top of the leaderboard after the first 18 holes of a European Tour event for the first time since 2014.

Welshman Dredge posted five birdies on his back nine, with a second bogey at the par-four fourth stopping him from moving further clear.

It was Quiros that pushed on from a cluster of players near the summit, but the Spaniard felt he deserved even more given the standard of his play.

"The score is good but I will say that the level that I displayed today from tee to green, it's been unbelievable," he told the European Tour website.

"I know that five under is a very good score but it looks like it's a little bit short for the game that I have displayed today."

Erik van Rooyen is part of a four-way share for third on four under, while Ashun Wu and Lee Slattery are in a group of five one shot further back.

Thomas Pieters, the highest ranked player in the field at 52nd in the world, carded a disappointing two-over 74.