Jorge Campillo and Andy Sullivan shared the lead heading into the weekend at the 2020 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters but they had a host of European Tour winners breathing down their necks at Education City Golf Club.
Sullivan took advantage of the low winds in the morning to fire a second consecutive 66 and get to ten under and it looked for a long time as if the Englishman would not be caught at the top of a congested leaderboard.
But Campillo went blemish free in posting a 66 of his own to also get to double figures and join Sullivan in top spot.
Swede Alexander Björk carded the lowest round of the week and his European Tour career with a 63 to sit at nine under alongside countryman Marcus Kinhult, England’s Oliver Fisher, Frenchman Romain Langasque and Dutchman Joost Luiten.
Sullivan has been one of the European Tour’s most consistent performers in recent seasons but has not quite hit the heights that made him a three time winner in 2015, with one top ten so far this season.
Darren Fichardt remains SA’s best-placed after adding a 68 to his opening 67. He made just one mistake – again at the ninth – to keep in the hunt sharing seventh place. Dean Burmseter is one back but arguably should be ahead of his elder countryman after going out in 30. Two drops on his way home saw him settle for a 67.
He is one ahead of the defending champion Justin Harding, who also had two drops on Friday. The trio are part of a nine-strong South African ontingent heading into the weekend.
