Dubai : The Dubai Golf Summer Series of open events is really heating up, with scoring to match, after the second event at the Faldo course of Emirates Golf Club.
When the scorecards were tallied no less than five players were within a point of each other at the top of the leaderboard but it was six-handicapper Mark Donovan from the Els Club who prevailed with a terrific 38 points off ¾ handicap on a back nine countback from Andrew Morris (16, EGF).
Donovan opened up with a superb eagle at the 515-yard par-five third (his second hole after a shotgun start) to get his round going and followed it with a birdie three at the fourth. Another birdie at the par-five 10th and a steady finish saw him take first place.
There was a titanic battle for third with three players, Paul Chader (Dubai Creek), Jong Jung Kim (Dubai Creek) and Martin Hunt (EGF) all returning 37 points. It was Chader who took the honours by recording the better last six holes on countback.
Young Rigel Fernandes (Emirates GC) took the best gross score for the second event in succession with a 75 and now leads the series standings.
In the five-event series, the best three stableford scores will determine the field for the grand final at the Majlis on September 5. The third event is at Dubai Creek on July 25.
Series leaderboard (after two events)
Name Club/Affiliation Handicap Pts
1 Rigel Fernandes Emirates Golf Club 3 72
2 Hajri Sami Tunisia 23 71
3= Mark Donovan The Els Club 6 69
3= Robert Bradley Emirates Golf Federation 20 69
5= Paul Chader Dubai Creek Golf and YC 10 68
5= Martin Hunt Emirates Golf Federation 11 68
7 M.R. Rajalekha Dubai Creek Golf and YC 15 67
8= Dan Weisser Emirates Golf Federation 5 65
8= Mark Irwin Dubai Creek Golf and YC 10 65
10 Peter Shaw Dubai Creek Golf and YC 5 64
The top 96 players from the five qualifying events (best three nett scores count) will play in the Grand Final at the Majlis Course on September 5
