MENA Golf Tour debutants Christofer Blomstrand and Julian Kunzenbacher firmly put themselves in pole position heading into the final round of the Muscat Hills Golf Citizen Championship.

Sweden’s Blomstrand backed up his opening round of a 67 with another solid 68 yesterday to reach nine under for the tournament, just two clear of Germany’s Kunzenbacher as the pair left many regular contenders trailing in their wake.

Morocco’s Younes El Hassani carded back-to-back 69s to move into a tie for third on six-under along with Australia’s Ryan Smith as a four-man group, led by

Sweden’s Per Barth, who won the Shaikh Maktoum Dubai Open last month, shared fifth a further shot adrift. 

Attributing his solid all-round golf to warmer weather, Blomstrand said: “I find it a lot easier to swing in these conditions than at back home where winter has set in.

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“Barring early hiccups when I bogeyed a couple of holes, I think I played really well, tee to green, and holed some good putts, especially the one on the 16th which I sank from 16 feet.

“This event has provided me with a perfect opportunity to warm up for the second stage of the European Tour qualifier. 

With so many players shooting in red numbers, it just shows how good the standard of golf is on the tour.”

Even Kunzenbacher was delighted by the way things have turned out for him.

“It’s my very first event on the tour and I am enjoying the competition,” said the 22-year-old German, who eagled the par-five 13th, smashing his 6-iron from 200 yards to within 40 centimetres of the pin.

“The course is fairly easy and it’s just that sometimes you find it difficult to read the greens.” 

Morocco’s Younes El Hassani, leads the MENA Division by four shots from his compatriot Mehdi Saissi.