Miguel Angel Jimenez shot a 4-under-par 69 in the second round to join Steven Alker at the top of the leaderboard at the Trophy Hassan II. The duo will enter the final round tied at 7-under 139, setting the stage for a thrilling final round at the challenging Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.
The course presented a stern test for the players on Friday, with strong winds making scoring difficult. The greens remained firm and fast, demanding precise approach shots and accurate putting.
“I would love to (win),” Jimenez said. “It’s one more round, Steve’s playing very well. I played with him yesterday, he’s a very solid player. … I’ve been hitting solid and playing very well and I hope tomorrow I can finish up there.”
Alker, who shared the first-round lead with Englishman Simon Griffiths, had a more challenging start to his round.However, he bounced back with a strong finish, carding three birdies on the back nine.
“Yeah, I had a little bit of a slow start; I was 2 over after four,” Alker said. “Just had to get going, give myself a bit of a kick in the butt. Then got it going, made a bunch of birdies kind of through the middle there. And again, strong finish, par on 18. Would have liked to have made birdie but pleased with the day the way I started.”
The final round promises to be an exciting battle as a host of players contend for the title. Defending champion Ricardo Gonzalez, Ernie Els, and a host of other contenders are within striking distance of the lead, setting the stage for a thrilling finish at the Trophy Hassan II.”
