LUKE Joy took a share of the overnight lead with Joshua White yesterday heading into today’s final round of play in the 10th King Hamad Trophy golf championship, being played at The Royal Golf Club at Riffa Views.
Joy carded a six-under-par 66 yesterday to boast a two-round total of 133.
White, who was the solo leader after day one, played a five-under-par 67 yesterday to allow Joy to move into the tie for first place.
Joy was red hot on the front nine yesterday, holing six birdies but also finishing with one bogey on the par five third hole. He then finished with a solid back nine performance that saw him card his seventh birdie for the day on the 13th while going even par on the rest.
White, meanwhile, also finished the day with seven birdies but suffered from his three bogeys on holes four, 14 and 16.
The pair are now headed for a two-horse race in the final 18 holes, with the rest of the field trailing far behind.
Seven shots back were three players in tied-third place.
Karim El Hali, Daniel Owen and Ben Amor each finished day two with a 140 total. El Hali carded a two-under-par 70 yesterday, Amor did the same while Owen played a three-under 69.
Jamie Elson enjoyed solo sixth place with a 141 total, while tied in seventh on 142 shots were assine Touhami, Josh Oddy, Ayoub Lguirati, Louis Campbell and defending champion Andrew Marshall.
Only the top 45 players following yesterday’s play will be teeing off in today’s third and final round.
Following all the action, a closing and awarding ceremony will be held at the venue.
A total prize pot of $27,000 has been set for the championship, to be divided by the leading 10 professionals after 54 holes of play.
This year’s champion will receive $8,500, while the runner-up will get $5,200. Third place will pocket $3,200, fourth place $2,200, fifth $1,800 and sixth place will get $1,500. Seventh position will take home $1,300, while $1,200 will go to eighth place. The ninth-placed professional will get $1,100 and 10th will win $1,000.
The King Hamad Trophy is a strokeplay championship.
In the event of a tie in the lowest gross total, the winner shall be decided by a sudden death play-off over the 18th hole.