Carey grabs lead in Egypt event

DUBLINER David Carey closed with a birdie hat-trick to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Alps Tour’s Ein Bay Open in Egypt.

The Castleknock talent (21) fired a four-under 68 at Sokhna Golf Club to lead by a shot from Colombia’s Alvaro Arizabaleta on 10-under par with Naas’ Conor O’Rourke (26) just four behind in sixth after a best-of-the-day 65.

“Tomorrow, I just need to go out and play the way I’ve been playing,” Carey said. “I actually haven’t really holed any putts. Hopefully, a few more putts go in.”

Michael Hoey carded a level-par 70 on the Tour Course to share ninth spot at halfway in the ECCO Tour’s Mediter Real Estate Masters at PGA Catalunya in Spain, just three strokes off the lead, but Jack Hume, Cormac Sharvin and Chris Selfridge missed the cut.

In amateur golf, Castle’s Alex Gleeson made an eagle and five birdies in a five-under 67 to lie fifth at halfway in the African Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Glendower GC.

He’s just two strokes behind South Africa’s David McIntyre, France’s Edgar Catherine and India’s Yashas Chandra on four-under par. Dundalk’s Caolan Rafferty is a shot further back in joint sixth after a 68 with Tramore’s Robin Dawson 19th on level par after a 71.

The “Ireland 1” team of Gleeson, Rafferty, Dawson and Kilkenny’s Mark Power moved up to third in the team event, just two shots behind Team South Africa Jnr.