Richardson holds on to a 2 shot lead going into the final round of the Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open

Peter Richardson can sense a possible victory going into the final round of the Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open, the third event on the MENA Golf Tour, after producing another superb round at Al Badia Golf Club on Tuesday.

The Englisman followed his sizzling 66 on the opening day with a tidy 68 to go 10-under for the tournament to maintain his stranglehold on the $50,000 event. Snapping at his heels, two shots behind, was his compatriot Dale Marmion, who closed with back-to-back rounds of 68.

Aadil Jehangir of Pakistan, Morocco’s Faycal Serghini and the UK duo of Chris Chamberlain and Simon Dunn headed the chasing pack on seven under par 137. With just three shots separating the top six, the prognosis for the final day points to an exciting finish.

On ‘moving day,’ as the terminology goes, nobody moved more noticeably than the young Englishman Charles Tetlow, who matched the day’s best score of 67 to go level-par for the tournament. Moroccan ace Serghini, Chamberlain and Sean McNamara of the US were the three other players who signed off with a 67 each to charge back into contention.
It was Richardson who held centre-stage with another impeccable performance. “I have put myself in a good position. Let’s see how things unfold in the final round,” he said, adding: “My game plan will, however, remain the same: hit as many greens as possible and make putts.”
England’s Marmion attributed his second 68 on the trot to staying patient on the course. “The key to posting good numbers on this beautiful course is to avoid going into hazards – and there are many. You have to be patient.
The tour, he said, is pretty well organized. “I have played all over the world, and can tell from my experience that it has the potential to grow. I will try and encourage fellow golfers to be part of this tour.”
Simon Dunn, who is just three shots off the pace, endured what he called a “strange day” before shooting an eventful 66. “My blood sugar level dropped dramatically and I needed heavy intake of chocolates to keep going,” said Dunn who, at one stage, went seven under for the day when he holed from 98 yards on the 17th, but dropped a shot on the 18th after hitting his wedge into water.

UAE’s Ahmed Al Musharrekh admitted there was nothing special about his round of 71. “It was the same old story: whatever I did right was derailed once I got on the greens,” said Al Musharrekh, who is leading in the amateur category with a 36-hole total of 143, two shots ahead of Khalid Yousuf, the second UAE player in the field.
With rounds of 68 and 69 Pakistan’s Aadil Jehangir sounded confident of going the full distance. “I managed to follow up a good round with another one, something which was missing from game,” said Jehangir, who finished with three birdies in a row. “It was quite a satisfying day and I do hope for a strong finish.”
Playing with a broken bone in his right foot, Zane Scotland struggled to a level-par 72. “When injury keeps weighing on your head, it’s too difficult to concentrate and string together a good round. I still managed to finish the round and that was a big plus.”
The cut was made at six-over-par 150 with top 40 professionals and 11 amateurs making it to the season-ending Tour Championship to be held at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club next week.
Leading scores after the second round (par-72):
134 – Peter Richardson (UK) 66 68
136 – Dale Marmion (UK) 68 68
137 – Aadil Jehangir (Pakistan) 68 69; Faycal Sherghini (Morocco) 70 67; Chris Chamberlain (UK) 70 67; Simon Dunn (UK) 71 66
140 – Brian Njoroge (Kenya) 69 71; Lindsay Renolds (Canada) 70 70; Ross Canavan (UK) 72 68; Shafiq Masih (Pakistan) 71 69; Gary Birch Jr (Germany) 70 70; Sean McNamara (US) 73 67; Ganeev Giddie (Kenya) 72 68
141 – Zane Scotland (UK) 69 72; Shahid Murtaza Ahmed (Pakistan) 68 73; Jonathan Porteous (UK) 71 70
142 – Cennydd Mills (UK) 68 74; Greg Nicholson (UK) 70 72
143 – Ahmed Al Musharrekh (AM-UAE) 72 71; Ubi Michael Eteng (Nigeria) 70 73; Jake Shepherd (UK) 71 72
144 – Trevor Marshall (New Zealand) 72 72, Geoff Lound (Australia) 74 70; Anil Shah (Kenya) 69 75; Charles Tetlow (UK) 77 67
145 – Khalid Yousuf (AM-UAE), Nasser Yacoob (AM-Bahrain) 71 74; Paul King (AM-UK) 74, 71