DUBAI – Hosts UAE and defending champions Lebanon produced vastly-improved performances in the second round of the 29th Arab Golf Championship as Bahrain maintained their stranglehold over the prestigious event at Al Hamra Golf Club and Resorts in Ras Al Khaimah.

Bahrain, who finished runners-up last year, carded a gross team score of 235 for a two-round total of 468 to extend their overnight three-shot lead over Egypt to eight strokes. Egypt followed their first round score of 237 with another solid 239 to stay in contention with a total of 476, two shots ahead of Tunisia and four off Morocco.

Lebanon, who slipped down the leader-board with a disappointing first-round 246, did well to post 234 with Samer Samua (75), Adnan Hamoud (78) and Ali Hammoud (81) contributing to the team score.

Hosts UAE, led by a brilliant two-over-par 74 by Ahmed Al Musharrekh, carded a 236, a marked improvement on their Day One score of 248. Khalid Yousuf, who shot 78 on the opening day, and Abdullah Al Musharrekh made an identical 81 to chip in the team score.

“We still have a lot of ground to cover and the team need to stay focused on the job at hand. If our players can shoot in 70s in the two remaining rounds, I hope we can make a strong finish,” said Chris Vallender, the coach of the UAE team.

“I am in particular pleased with Ahmed. The way he handled the pressure was something remarkable,” he added.

In all 16 teams from different Arab countries are competing in this prestigious event which is being held under the patronage of Shaikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah. Each team comprises four players and the best three scores count towards the team score.

Saber Barhoumi of Tunisia led the field in the individual category on a gross 150 after firing a tidy second round score of one-over-par 73, the day’s best score. He is followed in that order by Naser Yacoub of Bahrain (154), Othman Almulla of Saudi Arabia (155) and Bahrain’s Abdulla Saleh (156).

Leaders after the second round:

Team:

468 – Bahrain (233 and 235)
476 – Egypt (237 and 239)
477 – Tunisia (242 and 235)
480 – Morocco (238 and 242)
480 – Lebanon (246 and 234)
484 – UAE (248 and 236)
485 – Saudi Arabia (247 and 238)
495 – Libya (247 and 248)


Individual:

150 – Saber Barhoumi (Tunisia) 77 and 73
154 – Naser Yacoub (Bahrain) 78 and 76
155 – Othman Almulla (Saudi Arabia) 79 and 76
156 – Abdulla Saleh (Bahrain) 76 and 80
157 - Taymor Scarelo (Egypt) 77 and 80
157 – Nouh Ali Retha (Saudi Arabia) 79 and 78
158 – Mike Adly (Egypt) 79 and 79
159 – Jalal Zerouoly (Morocco) 75 and 84
159 - Sultan Sultan (Bahrain) 79 and 80
179 – Khalid Yousuf (UAE) 78 and 81

Ends….