Britain’s Gary King shot a four-under-par 68 on the second day of the 15th King Hamad Trophy at the Royal Golf Club to move to the top of the leaderboard with a nine-under-par 135 gross.
King, who stroked a five-under-par 67 on day one, overtook overnight leader, Cole Madey of the US, who failed to replicate his excellent first-day return of a seven-under-par 65 as he carded a one-under-par 71.
But, with an eight-under-par 136 gross, Madey is just one stroke behind King and could yet present a challenge in the final round today.
Meanwhile, Tom Plumb, another Englishman, stroked a three-under-par 69 – matching his effort on the first day – to finish day two in third place with a six-under-par 138 gross.
Sweden’s Erik Jonasson, who finished with a par-72 on day one, had a much better outing yesterday, as he carded a four-under-par 68 to ensure he would start the final 18 holes today in fourth place with a four-under-par 140 gross.
And Irish amateur Eoin Murphy, who had also stroked a par-72 on the opening day, matched Jonasson’s second day tally by also carding a four-under-par 68 to also finish with a four-under-par 140 gross.
English pro Joshua White, who had a poor first day with a two-over-par 74, performed much better yesterday as he shot a five-under-par 67 to register a three-under-par 141 gross, setting him up nicely for the final round.
Compatriot Benjamin David, who stroked a one-under-par-71 on day one and a two-under-par 70 yesterday and another Irish amateur, David Kitt – with a three-under-par 69 on Thursday and a par-72 yesterday – also finished with a three-under-par 141 each as did Briton Laird Shepherd, who returned a disappointing one-over-par 73 on the first day but managed a four-under-par 68 yesterday.
Yesterday was also a marginally better day for the UAE’s Joshua Grenville-Wood (originally from the UK), who carded a two-under-par 70 after having shot a par-72 on the first day to finish eighth on the leaderboard yesterday with a two-under-par 142 gross.
In joint-eighth position with him were two Britons, defending champion Tom Sloman – with identical, and disappointing, scores of one-under-par 71 on both days – and Russell Chrystie, who bounced back from a one-over-par 73 on the first day to post a more respectable three-under-par 69 yesterday.
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