Towndrow takes solo lead into final round of KHT

Sean Towndrow grabbed the solo lead yesterday heading into today’s final round of the 12th King Hamad Trophy golf championship at The Royal Golf Club in Riffa Views. The competition intensified as the top 10 were just within five strokes of one another as they led a 46-player field that made the cut for the last day of play.

Towndrow carded a five-under-par 67 to add to his opening round 66 for a two-day gross total of 11-under 133. The Briton holds a one-shot lead over Gabbe Axell of Sweden, who carded the best round of the tournament thus far with an eight-under-par 64 yesterday. He shot an impressive nine birdies but also bogeyed the par-four 15th hole as he rose to second place with a gross score of 134.

Homegrown talent Daniel Owen, who was joint-overnight leader with Towndrow, dropped two places behind to third after scoring a three-under 69 in his second round. He had three bogeys on the day, and he is now two shots behind with the final 18 holes to play at RGC’s Colin Montgomerie-designed championship course. Mathiam Keyser of South Africa also impressed on day two with a six-under 66. He improved to solo fourth just three shots behind the leader with an eight-under 136 gross.

Craig Ross and Matty Lamb finished the round tied fifth four strokes adrift, while Jamie Elson and Callum Farr were tied seventh a further shot behind. Lamb and Farr were the two highest-ranked amateurs in the championship. Completing the top 10 were Luke Joy of Great Britain and Id Omar Ayoub of Morocco, who were another six shots behind with five-under-par totals of 139.

Meanwhile, making it into the cut for the final round were Bahraini amateurs Mohammed Diab Alnoaimi and Nasser Yacoob. Alnoaimi was tied 33rd with Erik Jonasson of Sweden and Avant Singh Ahlawat of India with one-over-par totals of 145. Yacoob, meanwhile, followed in tied-41st with five others to be amongst the last players to make the cut.

They included Tunisians Rabeh Bedoui and Elyas Barhoumi, Britons Alfredo Curbishley and Louis Campbell, and Moroccan Amine Al Moussaoui. They were all four over par with 148 totals over two days.