Scott Henry won the Kazakhstan Open seven years ago and a 66 at Tower Links GC gave him a one-shot lead going into the final round of the Ras Al Khaimah Open

SCOTLAND’S Scott Henry climbed to the top of the leaderboard after enjoying some serious family time during the Ras Al Khaimah Open.

The Challenge Tour regular followed his opening-round 65 with a six-under par 66, at the United Arab Emirates’ Tower Links Golf Club, on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old from Clydebank had brother-in-law Christopher Walker on the bag in the Arena-sponsored MENA event, the penultimate tournament on the Journey to Jordan before next month’s Tour Championship.

Henry’s idea of having fun was to add seven birdies and an eagle to his seven-birdie round on Monday, to take a one-shot lead over young Swede Niclas Weiland (67) and overnight leader Marco Iten (68) of Switzerland after posting a 13-under total.

Wellingborough GC’s Kyson Lloyd (65) moved into fourth place on 11-under after an excellent 65, while Burhill GC’s Australian Daniel Gaunt – trying to chase down South Africa’s MG Keyser in the Journey To Jordan – moved to tied fifth place at nine-under alongside Sweden’s Gabriel Axell, after they both shot 68.

Henry, winner of the 2012 Kazakhstan Open – which used to be the most valuable tournament on the European Challenge Tour – showed his class with a superb display from tee to green, especially on the front nine, including an eagle on the seventh.

Henry said: “I was five-under par through seven holes and I think it was the best I could have ever played tee-to-green.

“The back nine was a bit up and down and I played some scrappy shots coming in. But a birdie on the last was a good way to finish and I am looking forward to the challenge tomorrow,” added Henry.

“I have my brother-in-law on my bag this week and we had great fun on the course. He caddies for my wife (Kylie) on the Ladies European Tour, so he knows his business and he helped me enjoy my round.

“It doesn’t matter whether I am in the lead because I will have to go and play some aggressive golf and shoot some low number tomorrow.

“There are a lot of birdies on this golf course, so the only way I can protect my lead is if I make a few myself and stay ahead.”

His playing partner Weiland had an equally good start and was also five-under through seven, but could not keep pace with Henry on the back nine.

Even though four shots worse than his opening round 64, Iten was happy with his 68.

“The only disappointment was a bogey on the 17^th when I really wanted a birdie there and the last,” said Iten.

“At least I got one on the 18^th. I am playing good golf, so let’s wait and see what tomorrow brings,” said the Swiss player looking for some form going into next week’s European Tour Qualifying School, in Spain, after losing his Challenge Tour card last week.

Sweden’s Erik Lindwall made a hole-in-one on the par-three eighth hole, hitting a perfect six-iron from 214 yards. That helped him finish the round on four-under.

The cut was applied at level-par with 48 professionals and nine amateurs making it to the final round on Wednesday.

Hampshire’s 2017 Amateur Champion Harry Ellis has ground to make up if the former Florida State University player is to improve on his back-to-back runner-up finishes on the MENA TOUR.

The 24-year-old from Southampton, who is a member at Wentworth GC, carded a 68 to go with his opening 69 to sit in a share of eighth place, six shots behind Henry.

•For full live scoring from the final round of the Ras Al Khaimah Open click here.

Sweden’s Niclas Weiland who carded a 68 to lie in second place on the penultimate MENA Tour event of the 2019 season

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Switzerland’s Marco Iten, who lost his European Challenge Tour card this month, made two eagles to lead the Ras Al Khaimah Open, on the MENA Tour, on Monday.

SWITZERLAND’S Marco Iten made a stunning debut on the MENA Tour as two eagles on the back nine of Tower Links Golf Club helped him soar to the top of the Ras Al Khaimah Open leaderboard on the opening day.

The 29-year-old, from Zurich, was playing on a special exemption – trying to get some match sharpness ahead of the second stage of next week’s European Tour Qualifying School, in Spain.

And he made the most of the opportunity, with a hot start, followed by a back nine of 30 thanks to his two eagles on his way to an eight-under par 64.

A shot behind the leader were Sweden’s Niclas Weiland and Scotland’s Scott Henry, who both shot 65 playing together in the second group in the morning.

The duo were later joined by EuroPro Tour regular Joshua Grenville-Wood, who holed out from 139 yards to eagle the par-four 15^th.

Australia’s Daniel Gaunt – hoping to make a big move in the Journey To Jordan where the Surrey-based Burhill GC pro is currently second behind leader MG Keyser, from South Africa – opened with a 67 in the United Arab Emirates.

England junior Josh Hill, who created worldwide headlines last week by becoming the youngest winner of an Official World Golf Ranking event, struggled on the greens.

The Dubai-based amateur came home in 78 after missing more than half a dozen par putts from inside the six-eight feet range, emphasising the highs and lows of the game.

Wentworth’s Harry Ellis, who finished second in the last two MENA Tour events to jump into contention on the Journey to Jordan, had to settle for a 69, which left the Hampshire double English and British Amateur Champion five shots behind Iten and down in 15th spot.

Iten started in bright fashion, hitting it to six feet on the first two par fours. Another gain on the par-five fifth was erased by his only bogey of the day on the eighth to make the turn in two-under.

On the back nine, Iten eagled the 13^th when he smashed a three-wood downwind from 290 yards to 20 feet. And on the 18^th he converted a 15-footer, having also made birdies on the 10^th and 15^th.

Iten said: “It was a good day. I got off to a fast start and managed to carry that momentum on to the back nine.=

“I was able to hit both the par-fives in two and make my putts,” added Iten, who lost his card on the European Challenge Tour this year.

“It definitely is a great confidence booster ahead of the second stage of the Q-School next week.

“I can do with a few tournament rounds ahead of that and was looking for a place to play and some of my friends told me how good the MENA Tour is.

“I am thankful for the opportunity and hopefully, we can take the momentum from this round to the next two days.”

Henry, who won Scottish Men’s and Boys’ Strokeplay double as an amateur, was bogey-free in his 65, while Weiland made one bogey.

“It’s always easier when a guy in the group is making all the putts like Niclas did,” said the 32-year-old, who married Scottish LET player Kylie Walker two years and competed against his wife in the Jordan Mixed Open, back in April.

We both played well and I think we fed off each other quite nicely,” said Scotsman Henry, another Challenge Tour regular, who is attached to Loch Lomond’s The Carrick GC.

•To follow scores on the 54-hole Ras Al Khaimah Open click here.

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