MUSCAT: Zane Scotland returned to familiar territory on the Mena Golf Tour, surging into title contention with a sizzling birdie burst on the back nine in the Ghala Valley Open on Tuesday.
A six-time winner on the Tour, the 32-year-old Englishman, who opened with a 68, returned a solid 69 to move to seven-under, a good four shots ahead of a six-man group which included overnight leader Antonio Arjona Bueno of Spain, Shafiq Masih (Pakistan), James Yeoman (England), Faycal Serghni (Morocco), Juan Salcedo (Mexico) and Carlos Balmaseda (Spain).
The English duo of Christopher Cannon and Jake Shepherd and Scotland’s Daniel Kay shared the eighth place a further shot adrift on two-under as six strokes separate the top 13 going into the final round.
Starting the day one shot off the pace, Scotland made the turn at one-over, but found a great rhythm coming home with four birdies in his last holes highlighting his efforts. “I played steady on the front nine and had a good finish,” said the Englishman, who believes the key to scoring low here depends on how well you hit off the tee. “Things become far easier if you are driving the ball straight,” he said.
“I think I am fine with my driver. If I continue to play the way I am playing, I think I stand a good chance,” said Scotland, who is currently placed 11th on the Order of Merit.
It was the young English amateur James Yeomans, who turned in the most impressive performance of the day, shooting his career best score, a 67, to move atop in his division on three-under, one ahead of Scotland’s Daniel Kay.
“My front nine were pretty average, but I got hot with the putter on the back nine which I played six under,” said the 23-year-old, who eagled the par-5, 13th, hitting his 4-iron approach from 230 yards to about 30 feet and holing the ensuing long putt.
If Yeomans produced the best score of the day, Kay took the honour of smashing the best shot of the day when he holed the 146-yard, par-3 second with a nine iron for the only ace of his career.
Morocco’s Faycal Serghini followed his first round 70 with a 71 to consolidate his position in the MENA Division for the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation Award with his countryman Ahmed Marjane sitting alone in second at one over, five shots ahead of Younes El Hassani.
