Kyle Barker tightened his grip on the Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open by extending his lead to four shots as England’s Todd Clements moved to the fringes of contention heading into the final round at Yas Links, Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday.
Two in front overnight, the 19-year-old South African backed up his opening 66 with a bogey-free 68, studded two birdies in each half, to reach 10-under for the tournament, leaving the field marvelling at his ball-striking prowess.
Clements, who currently leads the MENA Tour Order of Merit for amateurs, kept alive his chances of a breakthrough win on the MENA Tour after carding a second-round 70 that left the 21-year-old Englishman alone in second place, one clear of compatriot Jamie Elson, Toby Hunt of Wales and South Africa’s Tyler Hogarty.
South African Kyle Barker doubles his lead to be four shots clear with a round to play in the Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open. (Photo – MENA Tour)
On a hot and humid day, Darren Clarke, the 2011 Open champion and MENA Tour patron, moved into a tie for 20th on one-under after posting a second round 71, but defending champion Craig Hinton, who shot back-to-back 74s, missed the cut made at three-over 147.
“I really enjoyed my day out there. Didn’t really hole that many putts, but managed to keep bogeys off my card, which was great,” said Barker, who turned professional last year.
“My caddy and I are working as a team and the results are showing on the scores. Again, I struck the ball nicely and created a plenty of scoring opportunities there. I feel like I’m in great position and hoping to pull off my first professional win,” said the South African.
Seeking to become the second amateur to win a MENA Tour event since India’s Rayhan Thomas at the 2016 Dubai Creek Open, Clements said: “I played better than Monday, but just couldn’t hole putts. May have missed at least four or five from close range. That’s golf. Maybe tomorrow is a better day.”
On a moving day, as the penultimate round is generally referred to, Scotland’s Paul Doherty shot a five-under 67, moving from overnight tied 63rd to tied 13th on two-under as the English duo of Zane Scotland (three under) and Lee Corfield (four under) also left themselves with some catching up to do in the final round.
Elsewhere, UAE’s Khalid Yousuf returned a 74 to take a share of 39th on two under, one ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Othman Almulla as Ahmed Al Musharrekh, who played the opening round in the company of Clarke, was forced to pull out because of a wrist injury.
An initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Tour was created in 2011 with the aim of developing golf in the region. It is affiliated to R&A, the worldwide golf governing body based in the home of golf, St Andrews, and the Arab Golf Federation and enjoys the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status.
A guaranteed spot on the PGA Tour’s 2018 DEAN & DELUCA Invitational (for the MENA Tour champion), multiple European Tour starts, including the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the Maybank Championship Malaysia, and the KLM Open, are some of the added incentives that await MENA Tour members, in addition to playing privileges on the Sunshine Tour, and exemptions into the Final Stage of the Sunshine Tour and Asian Tour Q-Schools.
