GOLF – The UAE’s Sam Mullane played an outstanding second round yesterday to take a commanding 10-stroke lead into today’s final 18 holes in the eighth edition of the Bahrain Amateur Open, being played at Royal Golf Club.
Mullane carded an impressive seven-under-par 65 – his second successive flawless day in the kingdom with zero bogeys yet again – to go 13-under after two days and extend the gap from the rest of the field. The 23-year-old now heads into the last round as the heavy favourite to secure this year’s title.
Former champion Khalifa Almerisi of Bahrain was his closest challenger after yesterday’s play having climbed to solo second place, while a further shot behind in third was Qatar’s teenage sensation Daniil Sokolov.
Jay Mullane, also from the UAE, ranked fourth as the only other player still under par after two days.
He will be part of the leading quartet who will be teeing off as the last group today at 8.30am.
Today’s first group that will wrap up the 54-hole World Amateur Golf Rankings event are scheduled to begin their round at RGC at 6.30am.
The winner at the end of play will not only come away with the champion’s trophy, but also a direct qualification card to compete in the 19th King Hamad Trophy, to be held next month at RGC.
He 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.
Sam Mullane’s standout performance yesterday was headlined by seven birdies, including five on the back nine for a strong finish to the day.
His 65 improved on his opening round score of 66, earning him a two-day total of 13-under 131 and a comfortable advantage with only today’s tournament finale remaining.
Sam Mullane
Almerisi improved on his one-over-par 73 on day one with a four-under 68 yesterday to go three shots under at 141.
His second round was highlighted by an eagle on the par five ninth hole, but he also had three bogeys to deny him a better score.
Sokolov shot a two-under-par 70 yesterday to move to two-under 142 heading into the final 18 holes. He had an up-and-down second round, carding six birdies but also four bogeys.
Jay Mullane played a 71 yesterday to move to a one-under-par 143 total after two days, just a shot ahead of fifth-placed Yaseen Le Falher from Bahrain, who signed for a 75 yesterday after a first round score of 69 to go to even par at the end of round two.
Completing the top 10 were the quartet of Alistair Hess from Ireland, Daniel Owen from Britain, Saleh Al Kaabi from Qatar, and Alex Hambleton from Britain, who were all tied-sixth with one-over-par 145 scores, and Sulaiman Algosaibi of Saudi Arabia, who was two shots over at 146.
Three players were tied-44th as the last of the field to make the cut.
They included Bahrain’s Mohamed Diab Al Noaimi, Saudi’s Turki Alhussain, and Portugal’s Pedro Silvacastro, who were all at 17-over-par 161.
Today’s play will be followed directly by the awarding ceremony.
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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