NASSER Yacoob and Saleh Ali Al Kaabi shared the lead yesterday in the 54th Bahrain Open Golf Championship at Awali Golf Club (AGC).
Yacoob and Al Kaabi carded a three-under-par gross 67 to take a joint one-stroke lead heading into today’s final 18 holes of play.
Both Yacoob and Al Kaabi had four birdied on the day. Yacoob enjoyed three birdies on his back nine to help finish the first 18 strong. He however also had a double bogey on the eighth while Al Kaabi double bogeyed on the 14th.
Yacoob will be hoping to further improve his position today as he eyes a record seventh Bahrain Open title. He currently shares the honours of six championships with last year’s winner Andrew Marshall of Great Britain and fellow-Bahraini Abdulla Sultan Al Hakam, who was last year’s runner-up.
Marshall is not competing this year, while Al Hakam was seventh after day one to remain within striking distance.
Al Kaabi, on the other hand, has yet to win the tournament. His best finish so far has been fifth last year.
Identical
Right behind the leading pair was Saqer Al Noaimi with a gross 68. Rory Young and Nabeel Mohammed Saabt were fourth and fifth, respectively, with identical one-under-par 69.
Such was the highly competitive nature of the first round that the top 11 golfers were all within just five shots of each other.
Among them were Mohammed Diab Al Noaimi and Al Hakam with 71 and the quartet of Matthew Chalmers, Dave Park, Khalifa Mohammed Al Murisi and Hamad Mubarak Al Afnan on gross 72.
Meanwhile, on nett scores results, Eid Adel Muftah finished day one in first place with a nett 62. Jelmer Hoff followed in second and Nabeel Mohammed Saabt third, both on nett 65.
Saleh Juma was fifth on nett 66 while Yacoob, Chris Gregory and Al Kaabi completed the top eight on nett 67.
With more than 100 players registered for the competition, only 99 took to AGC’s 6,309-yard par-70 sand course of rock fairways and oiled greens for yesterday’s play.
The second round gets underway early this morning with the first group of golfers teeing off at 7am. The 35th and final group, consisting leaders Yacoob, Al Kaabi and Al Noaimi are scheduled to tee off at 12.40pm.
Play will be followed by the awarding ceremony, not before 5pm.
Today’s champion will receive the Bahrain Open Trophy (to be retained by Awali Golf Club) and a replica of the Trophy to keep.
Prizes will be awarded to 10 players with the lowest gross scores over 36 holes.
Prizes will also be awarded to players outside the top 10, with the lowest gross score on day one and the lowest gross score on day two.
Nett Prizes will be awarded for the lowest nett score over 36 holes, the lowest nett score on day one, and the lowest nett score on day two. Additional nett prizes may be awarded as well.
A Mercedes-Benz car, sponsored by Al Haddad Motors and AXA Insurance, will be awarded to the first non-professional player to score a hole-in-one on the sixth hole during championship play.