Four share lead at Saudi golf midway mark
In a compelling showcase of professional golf talent, four players have established themselves as joint leaders at the halfway point of the PIF Saudi International, all sitting at an impressive 11-under-par at the Riyadh Golf Club. The leaderboard features an intriguing mix of American and LIV Golf talent, with Peter Uihlein and Logan McAllister from the United States sharing top honors alongside LIV Golf competitors Cam Smith and Joaquin Niemann after the second round.
The day's most remarkable performance came from McAllister, who etched his name in the tournament's history books by carding a spectacular eight-under-par 63, setting a new course record. This outstanding achievement was later equaled by two-time Ryder Cup champion Tyrrell Hatton, who sits just one stroke behind the leaders at 10-under, joined by Steve Lewton and Jason Kokrak in a tightly packed pursuit group.
Cameron Smith, the 2022 Open champion and captain of Ripper GC, demonstrated his world-class abilities with a flawless round of 64, made even more impressive considering his recent transcontinental journey from Australia, where he had just secured a second-place finish at the Australian PGA. Despite the challenges of jet lag, Smith capitalized on the favorable morning conditions to post his bogey-free round.
The first-round leaders, Chang Wei-lun and Sadom Kaewkanjana, encountered difficulties in maintaining their early momentum, both recording rounds of 73 that saw them slip back to five-under-par overall, creating space for the new leaders to emerge.
The tournament, serving as the culminating event for both the Asian Tour and The International Series, has drawn a strong field of competitors, including numerous LIV Golf players who remain in contention. Louis Oosthuizen, the Stingers GC Captain, and Matt Jones of Ripper GC are positioned well at nine-under-par, while a talented group including Eugenio Chacarra, Jinichiro Kozuma, Kevin Na, Thomas Pieters, Cameron Tringale, Dean Burmester, Kieran Vincent, and Patrick Reed all maintain realistic chances from within the top 26 positions.
