News from European Seniors Tour in Bahrain

MARTIN GRAY CHASING MAIDEN
VICTORY ON OVER-55s TOUR

By STEVEN FRANKLIN
European Seniors Tour Press Officer

Scotland’s Martin Gray, pictured right, has put himself in with a good chance of his maiden seniors victory at the US$500,000 Arcapita Seniors Tour Championship at Riffa Views in Bahrain.
The professional from Ladybank Golf Club, who is about to complete his fifth season on the European Seniors Tour, fired a second consecutive 71 to move to two under par 142, two strokes behind joint leaders John Bland of South Africa and Adan Sowa of Argentina.
Bland carded a best-of-the-day 69 to move into a share of the lead with Sowa, who was round in 71.
Gray’s day started in disappointing fashion with a bogey at the first but he responded with some fine golf, going on to birdie the ninth, 12th and 18th holes, with his only aberration being a dropped shot at the 10th.
Martin, who has had three second-place finishes on the European Seniors Tour, said: “It was a tough day and the pins were in some awkward spots. I played really nicely on the front nine and probably faced about half a dozen putts under eight feet - and never made any of them. So I was a bit disappointed, but I was playing well and just tried to stay patient.
'GREAT TOURNAMENT TO WIN'
“I am now in a healthy position and this would be a great tournament to win. I have been here long enough and been second enough times to know I will not be fazed tomorrow. I played well enough today to shoot 68 quite comfortably and if I play that way and a few putts go in tomorrow, then who knows?”
In third place, on three under par, is defending champion Des Smyth of Ireland, who bogeyed the closing two holes for a level par 72.
The only other players in red figures after two blustery days in the desert are England’s Jim Rhodes and Argentine Luis Carbonetti on one under.
The other leading Scots are John Chillas and Mike Miller, who are seven shots off the pace on three over par. Sam Torrance, who has already won the Order of Merit, withdrew after nine holes of Thursday’s opening round due to a swollen index finger.

HOW THEY STAND

Second round scores and collated totals
(Par 72)

140 Adan Sowa (Arg) 69 71, John Bland (SAf) 71 69.
141 Des Smyth (Ire) 69 72 .
142 Martin Gray (Sco) 71 71.
143 Luis Carbonetti (Arg) 72 71, Jim Rhodes (Eng) 73 70
144 Simon Owen (NZ) 72 72, Horacio Carbonetti (Arg) 74 70, Guillermo Encina (Chi) 74 70, Tony Johnstone (Zim) 72 72.
145 David Good (Aus) 74 71, Gordon J Brand (Eng) 73 72, Stewart Ginn (Aus) 74 71.
146 Nick Job (Eng) 75 71, Bob Larratt (Eng) 76 70, Jimmy Heggarty (NI) 71 75, Gavan Levenson (SAf) 72 74, Gery Watine (Fra) 73 73.
147 John Chillas (Sco) 74 73, Mike Miller (Sco) 73 74.
148 Angel Fernandez (Chi) 72 76, Doug Johnson (US) 76 72, Pete Oakley (US) 72 76, Denis O'Sullivan (Ire) 74 74, Bertus Smit (SAf) 73 75, Terry Gale (Aus) 74 74, Kevin Spurgeon (Eng) 74 74, Bob Cameron (Eng) 76 72.
150 José Rivero (Esp) 78 72, Bobby Lincoln (SAf) 79 71.
151 Bruce Heuchan (Can) 77 74, Manuel Piñero (Spa) 74 77, Abdulla Sultan (am) (Brn) 77 74.
152 David J Russell (Eng) 81 71.
153 Martin Poxon (Eng) 80 73, Juan Quiros (Spa) 78 75, Giuseppe Cali (Ita) 78 75, Glenn Ralph (Eng) 78 75.
154 Bill Longmuir (Sco) 82 72.
155 John Mills (am) (Eng) 77 78.
156 Jerry Bruner (US) 83 73.
158 Victor Garcia (Spa) 82 76.
159 Daij Ahmed (am) (Brn) 81 78.
166 Ali Sager Al Noaimi (am) (Brn) 82 84.
169 Khalid Salem (am) (Brn) 85 84.
175 Mike Massie (am) (Sco) 84 91.