George Coetzee and Marce Siem keep Masters invite hopes alive

George Coetzee and Marcel Siem kept their Masters qualification hopes alive on the first day of the Trophee Hassan II.

Both men know only a victory in Morocco will be enough to book a trip to Augusta next month for the year's opening major, and both got off to excellent starts on the first day at Golf du Palais Royal.

South Africa's Coetzee held the intial clubhouse lead after carding a five-under 67, eventually ending two strokes adrift of pacesetter Adrien Saddier, with Germany's Siem posting an opening round 68 to sit a further shot back. 

“Augusta is on my mind, obviously,” Coetzee said. “I’m here to try to qualify, but I’m just trying to play golf and hopefully on Sunday I will be in contention.

“There was no plan today. I played yesterday and I think I shot 102. I was quite happy when there was no wind this morning - it worked out pretty well today.”

Siem led from start to finish here in 2013 and looked to have done enough to climb into the world's top 50 and secure his Masters debut.

However, after the results of the Houston Open were taken into consideration a few hours later, the 34-year-old discovered he was ranked 51st and had missed out by just 0.03 world ranking points.

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"It's a big week for me and four under is a good start," Siem told Sky Sports 4. "I'm really excited about playing the Masters, I've never played it. I finished it off two years ago and still did not get in. It was a little horrible.

"I'm going to keep doing what I did today, try hard not to make any stupid mistakes. I have got the experience and I know the golf course. I will make enough birdies I reckon....just (need to) avoid the mistakes."

Augusta hopefuls

Siem and Coetzee are two of six players in action in Morocco still hopeful of qualifying for the Masters, with Alexander Levy, Andy Sullivan, Tommy Fleetwood and Ross Fisher all having the chance to move in to the world's top 50.

Fisher, needing to win this week, got off to a terrible start with two double bogeys in his first three holes and carded a 77, while two-time European Tour winner Sullivan looks in danger of missing the cut for the third tournament running following a two-over opening round.

World no 54 Levy, who needs to finish in a two-way tie for second or better, is part of the group seven strokes adrift on level par, with Fleetwood posting three birdies on his back nine in a two-under 70. 

Watch day two of the Trophee Hassan II live on Friday from 11am and then 2.30pm on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf.