Curtis Knipes faces a final round challenge from two-time European Challenge Tour winner Sebestien Gross who trails the Essex rookie by three shots in the MENA Tour’s NewGiza Open

CURTIS Knipes faces a final day threat from France’s European Challenge Tour winner Sebastien Gros in the MENA Tour’s NewGiza Open.

Rookie Knipes may well have to rely on his three shot cushion as he seeks a maiden win in his just his second MENA event.

The two-time Essex Amateur Champion, from Chelmsford Golf Club, played in the tougher afternoon session to stay ahead of the field

The teenage pro shot a four-under par 68 in the second round of the $75,000 NewGiza Open, the first-ever MENA Tour event in Egypt.

The 19-year-old former England junior started the day from the 10th tee with a two-shot lead at NewGiza Golf Club, which has Cairo’s famous Pyramids as a a backdrop.

Curtis made the turn at one-under par with a bogey on the 18th.

Knipes’ second nine was even better as he picked up three shots without dropping any to take his 36-hole aggregate to 10-under, having shot 66 on Tuesday.

“I was happy with that round. It’s always good to follow up a good first round with a solid second to keep yourself in contention,” said Knipes, who qualified for last year’s at Open at Royal Portrush.

Knipes, who is playing only his second event as a professional, added: “Tomorrow is obviously a big day for me.

“It’s the first time leading the MENA Tour and being in the final group of the day. I will just try and approach it as I have done every other day.

“I can’t control what others are doing. I am just going to go out there and shoot the lowest round that I can,” said the 2018 English County Champion of Champions.

England’s 19-year-old Bailey Gill shot the best round of the tournament so far – a seven-under par 65 – to climb to second place at nine-under.

Twenty-two-year-old Gill, who hails from Worksop and plays at Lindrick Golf Club, started with a bogey on the 10th hole, his only mistake of the day.

“It was very cold out there in the morning and I was first off, said the player from the same Nottinghamshire town as Lee Westwood.

Gill added: “I hit a driver and wedge into the 10th yesterday, and it was a driver, three-iron today.

“But I played well after that,” said Gill, who matched the course record at NewGiza Golf Club.

“I will continue doing what I have been doing so far. Just stick to my notes and put up a performance that is hopefully good enough.”

Gros ‘lost motivation’ with no card

SEBASTIEN Gros, who lost his European Tour card after the 2018 season, was bogey-free for his round and hoping to get back to winner’s circle tomorrow.

The former European Tour player, who is a two-time winner on the Challenge Tour, was in tied third place alongside the promising Swede Niclas Weiland.

Both players shot successive round of four-under par 68

Gros said: “Always happy with a bogey-free round. I played well and hit 17 greens in regulation so I did not have to worry too much about getting my pars.

“I just wish I was as efficient as yesterday on the greens, but I should not complain after a 68,” added Gros.

“It was good to finish with a tap-in birdie on the 18^th after I missed chances on every hole from the 14^th to 17^th.

“The last year was very disappointing, but it was very hard to motivate myself to play on the Challenge Tour after spending three years at the highest level on the European Tour,” said Gros giving an insight into the mental challenges players face trying to get to the top.

“My friends told me some very good things about the MENA Tour and how it can be a great preparation for the season, and I decided to come” said Sebastien.

“Hopefully, tomorrow I will be in contention over the last nine holes.”

Conor Purcell, the promising young star from Ireland, was even par for the five par-five holes on the new Egyptian course.

But the last year’s Walker Cup player – who claimed the 2019 Australia Amateur Championship, still shot a 67 to rise to fifth place on seven-under.

The Portmarnock member, who made his first appearance in a pro event in last year’s ISPS Handa Vic Open while still an amateur, made his pro debut in November’s New South Wales Open, having reached No. 10 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

Purcell, who has signed for American management firm Wasserman, also received an invite into the Emirates Australian Open, at The Australian GC, in December, as the Australian Amateur Champion, but missed the cut by seven shots.

•Click here for live scoring from the third and final round of the NewGiza Open.

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The NewGiza Open will host the MENA Tour’s NewGiza Open played against the spectacular backdrop of some of Egypt’s pyramids in the disued quarry near Cairo.

CASTLE Royle’s David Langley will bid to win back-to-back when the MENA Tour visits its 12^th host country when it visits Egypt for the first time for the NewGiza Open.

The second tournament of the 2020 season in the Middle East is being played at the NewGiza Golf Club with the spectacular setting of the world-famous pyramids of Giza as a backdrop this week.

Berkshire pro Langley – who claimed last week’s season opener in the Journey to Jordan No. 1 – will tee it up alongside 85 other players, including past European Tour champions Yorkshire’s Richard Finch and France’s Romain Wattel.

David Langley’s maiden pro win came in last week’s MENA Tour event

Also starting his new season in Cairo is the reigning professional Journey to Jordan champion, South Africa’s Mathiam Keyser.

The 7,351-yard, par-72 golf course – with the stunning backdrop – was designed by Thomson Perrett & Lobb and opened to public last year.

It has already captured the imagination of those who have visited it.

It’s not just the views of the famous Pyramids, but also the subtle intricacies of the golf course, which meanders through an old quarry.

The course features strategic bunkering, changes in elevation, scenic lakes and an impressive desert landscape.

Keyser was hoping not to get too distracted by the views and make a solid start to his 2020 season.

The three-time MENA Tour champion said: “I am really looking forward to the start of the 2020 season.

“Feel like I had a nice break and playing the Omega Dubai Desert Classic was a nice way to start the year. I am focused, prepared and ready to go.

“Having loads of opportunities in Europe and Asia is definitely a bonus for me this year, thanks to the MENA Tour and my management company.

“It is going to be fun and getting a good start on the MENA Tour in Egypt will obviously help build a lot with confidence going into the rest of the year.

“I played the course for the first time yesterday and absolutely enjoyed the challenge. It’s a fun course to play and in excellent condition.

“All 18 holes were really nice and very challenging in the wind, but the par threes are especially good,” added Keyser.

Shergo Al Kurdi was the leading amateur at the Journey to Jordan No. 1 last week

NewGiza owners lining up second MENA Tour event for Red Sea venue

THE NewGiza course is part of a 680-hectare development in the south-west of the city that includes upscale housing, sports arena, hotels, schools and universities.

NewGiza director of golf Ali Mohamed was excited about welcoming the MENA Tour to their world-class facilities.

“It really is a matter of great pride for us that we will be hosting our first MENA Tour event on our golf course,” said Mohamed.

“We have received some very good reviews since our launch and we are confident that the professional players will find it challenging.

“We have had some very good talks with the MENA Tour and we’d like to help them extend their presence here in Egypt.

“We have another golf course in Sokhna by the Red Sea and we are looking at having another tournament there in the near future.”

The tournament, which starts today (Tuesday), also features Shergo Al Kurdi. The Jordanian was the leading amateur there in finishing a creditable tied second.

•For live scoring in the first round of the NewGiza Open click here.

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