Muscat: Competition continued today, Friday, in the Qatar Masters Golf Championship 2026, which will conclude on Sunday at Doha Golf Club. The second day of the tournament witnessed intense competition among the players vying for qualification to the final rounds, resulting in 67 golfers advancing to the championship rounds scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

According to Qatar News Agency, American Patrick Reed topped the overall standings after two rounds, posting a score of 12 under par for a total of 132 strokes. Sweden's Joachim Lagergren moved into second place with 11 under par and a total of 133 strokes, while New Zealand's Ryan Hiller slipped to third place with 10 under par (134 strokes) after having shared the lead with Reed following the opening round.

South Africa's Richard Sterne finished tied for third alongside Hiller, also at 10 under par. Three players shared fifth place: Spain's Angel Ayora, Scotland's Ewen Ferguson, and England's Matt Wallace, each recording 9 under par for a total of 135 strokes. Denmark's Jacob Olsen and Japan's Kota Kaneko were tied for eighth place, each at 8 under par with totals of 136 strokes.

Qatari national team players experienced mixed fortunes during the second round. Daniel Sokolov finished with 7 over par (151 strokes), while Saleh Al Kaabi recorded 8 over par. The third Qatari participant, Ali Al Shahrani, finished at 26 over par with a total of 170 strokes.

The Qatar Masters features 144 players representing the world's elite golfers, with total prize money amounting to approximately USD 2.75 million. Meanwhile, Mike Shuwairi, technical expert at the Qatar Golf Federation, praised the high standards displayed during the first two days of the championship, noting that such performances are expected in a tournament featuring some of the world's top players.

Shuwairi declined to predict the outcome of the final two rounds, citing the strong competition and the large number of contenders vying for the title. He added that the tournament will enter its decisive phase starting Saturday, following the qualification of 67 players from the initial rounds held on Thursday and Friday.

Commenting on the Qatari participation, Shuwairi highlighted the involvement of Saleh Al Kaabi, Ali Al Shahrani, and Daniel Sokolov, stressing the value of competing against world-class players. He noted that Sokolov, in particular, stands to benefit significantly from the experience due to his young age and considerable talent.