GOLF – Sam Mullane from the UAE took the overnight lead yesterday after the opening round of the eighth Bahrain Amateur Open, which got underway at Royal Golf Club.
The Emirati carded a six-under-par 66 over a flawless first 18 holes – during which he played zero bogeys – to go three shots clear of Briton Alex Hambleton and Bahraini Yaseen Le Falher, who were tied-second.
The three-day, 54-hole championship continues today with the first group of competitors teeing off at 6.30am.
The stroke play competition is a World Amateur Golf Rankings event with gross and net divisions. A cut will be made after the completion of 36 holes today for the leading 45 gross scores and ties.
A highly talented field of more than 100 golfers from around the world are battling not only for the coveted title, but also for a direct qualification card to compete in the 19th King Hamad Trophy, to be held next month at RGC.
The victor will also secure a place in the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on the DP World Tour in 2027, along with the best Bahraini finisher.
The Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship is slated to be held at RGC from January 28 to 31.
Mullane’s impressive start to the tournament yesterday was highlighted by his six birdies – four of which were on the back nine with three in a row from holes 12 to 14, before completing his day one outing in three shots on the par-four 18th.
Hambleton, meanwhile, recovered well from a hole two bogey to post his three-under-par 69 for the first round, while Le Falher finished level after enjoying a stunning start that included an incredible eagle on the par-five third hole and then four more birdies before struggling on his way back to the clubhouse with a double bogey on the 17th and a bogey on the 18th.
Behind the top three on the day one leaderboard was a large group of golfers who were bunched closely together.
Six were tied-fourth on even-par 72 scores, including Daniil Sokolov of Qatar, Dominic McGlinchey of Britain, Khalifa Alkaabi and Khalid Shah of Bahrain, Jay Mullane of Britain, and Saleh Alkaabi of Qatar; while another four were tied-10th at one-over-par 73, including Saudi Arabia’s Graham Tumilty, Switzerland’s John Burki, and Bahrain’s Khalifa Almerisi and Ahmed Alzayed, both of whom are former champions in the Bahrain Amateur Open.
Two shots over par in tied-14th were Ali Alkowari, another ex-title winner, and fellow-Bahraini Sultan Al Hakam, along with Britons Daniel Owen and Jim Lanceley and Irishmen Ronan Armstrong and Alistair Hess.
Qatari Ali Al Shahrani and Saudi Sulaiman Algosaibi ended the first day tied-20th with four-over-par totals.
Ebrahim K Kanoo, the exclusive agent for Lexus in Bahrain, is the main sponsor of the eighth Bahrain Amateur Open, while other sponsors are Banz Trading and Contracting, Bahrain Scrapmould Company, Al Salam Bank, Al Sharif Group, Crown Industries, and Bahrain Duty Free Shop Complex.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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