Spence back for sunshine

Jamie Spence begins the defence of his Moroccan Open title today having swapped the snow of Sunningdale for the sunshine of Rabat. Spence's last competitive outing was in the Sunningdale Foursomes three weeks ago, when he reached the final with Trish Johnson.

But conditions then were distinctly different than those the 37-year-old from Kent will experience this week as he defends the trophy he won 12 months ago in Marrakech after an eightyear barren spell.

"It was good fun getting to the final but it felt like playing in three tournaments because we played over seven days," admitted Spence, who carded a closing course-record 64 last year to win by four shots from rookie of the year Ian Poulter and French pair Thomas Levet and Sebastien Delagrange.

"We played in the snow, the course was under water . . . always in different conditions. You get great weather here thankfully, although I think the course last year in Marrakech suited me better."

Spence has made a deliberately quiet start to the season but has also struggled with a number of minor injuries that forced him to withdraw from the Qatar Masters.

"It was an injury with the back of my neck and overall I've had back and neck problems because my posture has been rubbish," Spence added. "I've been working on it at home with different exercises and I'm feeling good now.

"And I actually played my first ever event here in 1987, I came here and didn't know what the hell I was doing. I missed the cut comfortably."

The Robert Trent Jones course has not hosted a European Tour event since 1996, but staged the Hassan Trophy in November which was won by Roger Chapman.

"I can't wait to play again because the course is magnificent," said Chapman, who also won his first tour event, in Brazil, last year after a 19-year wait.

"There is not a bad hole on it, there is no let-up and every hole demands your attention so you have to concentrate all the way round.

"In my opinion it is one of the best courses we play all year, it really is as good as that."

The Irish challenge is led by Paul McGinley, who will be joined by Gary Murphy, Philip Walton and Paddy Gribben.

Last year's runner-up Poulter is also in the field as he aims to improve on his third place in the Greg Norman Holden International in February.