Frenchman Saddier takes lead as only three Kenyans make cut

Frenchman Adrien Saddier on Friday fired his way to the top of the leaderboard at the close of day two in the ongoing Barclays Kenya Open after a brave nine under par 62 at the par 71 Muthaiga Golf Club course.

Saddier climbed to the top of the leaderboard with 12 under par 130. What a day it was for the French player who played a bogey-free round that included seven birdies and an eagle to finish with at the 18th hole.

He set off for the day a birdie at the third, added two more at the seventh and eighth though it was at the back nine where produced the fireworks, rolling in birdies at the 10th, 11th, 13th and 15th with the eagle three at the 18th to crown a successful day.

He now leads a field of 65 players who made the one under par cut to the big chase for the title and cash in this season opener in the 2017 Challenge Tour series.

He will be in the company of Finland’s Kalle Samooja who shot five under par 66 for a two rounds total of 11 under par 131. Samooja made his birdies on the first, fourth, sixth at the front nine, and at the 10th, 12th, 14th and also an eagle to close the business of the day though he bogeyed the 11th, and 16th.

Saturday’s round is likely to decide those going for the title on Sunday, depending on whether they will be able to carry over their form in the second round.

On the other hand, Wales Rhys Davies shot four under par 67 for 10 under par 132 to stay in a good position to attack in Saturday’s round. Davies dropped two shots at he fifth and 11th but was able to compensate with six birdies three at the front nine and three at the back nine including one at the home green.

It was a disappointing day for the locals as only three out of the contingent of 22 players made the one under par cut. Leading the three was long-hitting Dismas Indiza who produced an impressive five under par 66 to book a slot in the last two rounds with a total of four under par 138.

Though Indiza said he will take it easy in the third round, he will make use of any available opportunity to make birdies.

He started well, rolling in three back to back birdies from the second hole, added one more at the 10th, dropped one at the 16th but
recovered at the 17th and 18th. The other two Kenyans to make it to the last two rounds were Simon Ngige and Riz Charania from Windsor.

Ngige missed several birdies chances, to close the day on two over par 73 for two under par 140 same with Charania, who fired his second 70 to
make his first ever Kenya Open cut.

He bogeyed four holes but two birdies and eagle did the magic for him. It was a sad ending for Richard Ainley and South Africa-based Stefan Andersen, who missed the cut by just a shot. Ainley, who was one under with four holes to go, missed an eagle by six inches for a birdie at the 18th where he was on for two.