Saud Al Sharif mastered the tough playing conditions to post the low round of the day and surge into second place behind David Hague after day two of the Royal Golf Club Bahrain Open on the Mena Tour.
The 19-year-old, a member of the Saudi National Team who learned his golf at the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain where he has been based for the past 10 years, used all his local knowledge to post a 6-under-66 and move into a share of second place alongside Antoine Schwartz (70), one behind Hague.
“It is such an amazing day. I had an unbelievable round, my lowest ever on the MENA Tour!” said Al Sharif, who had sensationally made the cut at last week’s tournament in Oman after holing his second shot on the par-4 17th hole for an eagle and a birdie on the last.
“My putter was on fire,” he said. “I made putts from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain! Come to think of it, my short game was something that was holding me back. I have been working really hard on my putting and chipping with Jamie McConnell at the Claude Harmon Performance Institute in Dubai and it is showing results.”
Hague, who turned pro after MENA Tour by Arena Qualifying School and recently finished runner-up at the NEWGIZA Open in Cairo, was five-under par through his front nine but stumbled on his way back with three bogeys and a double. A birdie on the last helped him close with a 70 and gave him a one-shot cushion going into the final round.
Overnight leader Joel Girrbach (72) of Sweden fell back into fourth place at six-under par 138 alongside the promising Irishman Ryan Lumsden (67) and resurgent Frenchman Victor Riu (67).
Journey to Jordan leader David Langley made successive eagles on holes 9 and 10 after making a double bogey on the second hole and was in the group at five-under par.
