Gary King takes lead in King Hamad Trophy

TDT | Manama                                                   

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Gary King of Great Britain took over as leader after the second round of play in the 15th King Hamad Trophy golf championship, which comes to a close today at The Royal Golf Club (RGC) at Riffa Views.

King moved one stroke ahead of Cole Madey from the US after 36 holes, and is in prime position to claim his maiden title in the prestigious annual competition.

King carded a five-under-par 68 yesterday to bring his twoday total to nine-under 135. 

Trailing close behind with an eight-under gross is Madey, who played a one-under-par 71 for round two.

Just three shots from King was countryman Tom Plumb, who played a three-under 69 for the second successive day.

King’s outing yesterday included four birdies, two apiece on the front and back nines.

Ranked behind the top three were Erik Jonasson of Sweden and amateur Irish player Eoin Murphy, who were tied-fourth on four-under-par two-day totals.

Four players were tied-sixth, including Britons Joshua White, Benjamin David, Laird Shepherd and David Kitt from Ireland. They were all on threeunder-par gross scores.

White was one of two players to card a five-under 67 yesterday, which was the second round’s best score.

The other to play a 67 was Briton Barnes Wallis, who ranked tied-13th along with seven other players, including Saud Al Sharif of Saudi Arabia, Giedrus Mackelis of Lithuania, Fakori Mehdi of Morocco, Jack Swift and Jacob Davies of Great Britain, Ahmed Al Zayed of Bahrain, and Mathias Weiderman of Sweden.

Following yesterday’s action, the field of 96 that took to the Montgomerie championship course on day one was trimmed to the final 47 players who made the cut for today’s final round.

The last to make it through, tied-44th on five-over-par twoday totals, were Moroccans Fakori Abderahmane and Melhli Sinan, Saleh Al Kaabi and Siwakorn Kriangkrai.

At the end of today’s play, the awarding ceremony will take place.

The newly crowned champion will not only come away with the glittering King Hamad Trophy, but will also get an invitation to the inaugural Bahrain Championship on the 2024 DP World Tour, set to be played in early February.

This DP World Tour place is coveted by many as they will get to compete alongside some of the world’s biggest names in the game of golf.

The main sponsor of this year’s King Hamad Trophy is Batelco.

The gold sponsors are Alba, Foulath, Khaleeji and Nass Corporation; while the silver sponsors are Bahrain Economic Development Board, BBK, GPIC and Kuwait Finance House.

Entry is free to attend today’s concluding events and spectators are welcome to watch all the action.