Calum Hill loses ground but holds on to lead

Scotland’s Calum Hill started the day at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship with a four-shot lead and fired three birdies and three bogeys for an even par 72 to see it diminished to two shots at 16-under.

“I actually felt like I played quite nicely, I just had a few errors in there and misjudged a couple of putts early on that put me behind a little bit. I managed to come back a little bit on the back nine and put myself in a good position for tomorrow,” said Hill.

“If at the start of the week you said I’d have a couple of shots going into Sunday, I’d be delighted. I knew there were some chances coming on the back nine; the par-fives are a chance, ten is a chance, but there were some really tough pins. It didn’t feel like a day where, personally, I could shoot really low.

“Level par, I would’ve liked a bit better than that at the start of the day but I’m also very happy with where I am.

“I know the lead slightly diminished a little bit, but I didn’t want to beat myself and I feel like now I’ve got back to par, it’s not the end of the world.

“Today’s work was decent – there was some good in there. Even though the score wasn’t as good as yesterday or the first day, it still felt pretty good.”

Germany’s Freddy Schott carded a bogey-free front nine and made the turn in 32 before adding another birdie and three bogeys on the back nine to close with a 70. He currently lies in second place at 14-under.

“I’m a little bit disappointed to three-putt on the last but it was a good day today. We will just keep doing what we’re doing, and we should be alright tomorrow,” said Schott.

“I just thought it might be a two-day thing – I might catch him in two days. Obviously, he was struggling a bit on the first few holes and I played really good, so all of a sudden, we were there together.

“I’m still following the plan of trying to catch him tomorrow so I’m looking forward to that. That would be amazing, but it’s a bit too early to think about that.”

American Patrick Reed who won last week at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic also stayed bogey-free and made the turn in 32 then went on to add a birdie, an eagle at the par-5 13th and a bogey to close with a 66 and move up into a share of third place at 12-under.

Scot Grant Forrest made one bogey and signed for a 67 and a share of third place alongside Spaniard Sergio Garcia who also made one bogey for a 68.

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