Doha, 7 February (QNA) - American golfer Patrick Reed moved into sole possession of the overall lead after the third day of the 29th edition of the Qatar Masters Golf Championship, which began last Thursday at Doha Golf Club and concludes tomorrow. Organized by the Qatar Golf Federation, the tournament features 144 elite players.
Reed, who had shared the lead since the opening day with New Zealand's Daniel Hillier, turned the tables during Saturday's round to claim outright first place with a score of 14 under par, totaling 202 strokes. Denmark's Jacob Skov Olesen advanced to second place with 12 under par and a total of 204 strokes.
New Zealand's Daniel Hillier dropped to third place with 11 under par, tied with Spain's Angel Ayora, both posting a total of 205 strokes.
Fifth place was shared by Italy's Gregorio De Leo, Finland's Oliver Lindell, New Zealand's David Michieluzzi, and Sweden's Joakim Lagergren, each carding 206 strokes, ten under par.
Six players shared ninth place with identical scores of 207 strokes, nine under par: New Zealand's Kazuma Kobori, American Johannes Veerman, England's Dan Bradbury, Scotland's Calum Hill, the Netherlands' Antoine Rozner -champion of the 2012 edition- and Sweden's Sebastian Soderberg, highlighting the intense competition and close margins among the players.
Secretary General of the Qatar Golf Federation, Fahad Nasser Al Nuaimi said the championship has witnessed strong and exciting competition since its opening, with the battle among professional players intensifying on the third day as the game's leading stars vie for the title.
He added that the first and second days featured all 144 players, while Saturday's round saw the participation of the top 67 players following the initial cut. He noted that increasing wind speeds added to the challenge posed by the course, resulting in fierce competition at the top of the leaderboard. Al Nuaimi expected the final day to deliver strong and exciting competition among more than three players contending for the title.
Al Nuaimi also praised the professional organization of the tournament, which has received acclaim from all participants, as well as Doha Golf Club, describing it as one of the world's finest courses.
He stressed the importance of Qatari players' participation in such tournaments, affirming that progress continues year after year, with the federation striving in each edition to deliver an improved experience.
For his part, Mike Schowry, an expert at the Qatar Golf Federation, said the championship has entered its most demanding and decisive stages after 67 players qualified for the finals following the first three days of competition.
Schowry commended the high standards displayed during the opening two days of the Qatar Masters, noting that such performances are expected in a tournament featuring a selection of the world's top golfers.
Meanwhile, Waleed Saad, a member of the Qatar Masters Organizing Committee and Technical Secretary of the Qatar Golf Federation, said the Qatar Masters represents a comprehensive model of world-class tournaments that combine sporting excellence with tourism value. He noted that hosting this prestigious event reflects growing international confidence in Qatar's organizational capabilities and its advanced sports infrastructure, which meets the highest global standards.
Saad added that the Qatar Masters is not only a key sporting event on the DP World Tour calendar, but also an important platform for promoting sports tourism, given its wide international media coverage and the participation of elite professional golfers, highlighting Qatar as a distinguished sports and tourism destination throughout the year. (QNA)