Zamal leads the way for hosts in Bangladesh Open

In-form Bangladeshi golfer Zamal Hossain Mollah shot his way to a share of the lead after two rounds of the $300,000 AB Bank Bangladesh Open at the Kurmitola Golf Club on Thursday.

Zamal, fresh from his second-place finish in the $60,000 inaugural BTI Open on the Asian Development Tour at the same course in late April, continued his pace in the meet aggregating eight-under-par 134 to share the lead with Swedish Malcolm Kokocinski.

Zamal started somewhat inauspiciously, carding a double bogey at the par-4 second hole, but thereafter was flawless for the remaining holes with eight birdies to go with an equal number of pars, coming in six-under-par 65 for the second day, that saw the weather disruptions again

Kokocinski shot 66 on the day, to come in five-under with five birdies.

Zamal heads the list of 11 Bangladeshis who made the cut after day 2, and will be competing over the weekend.

The next Bangladeshi name on the leaderboard is Md Robin, six shots behind at two-under-par 140, carding even-par 71 on Friday to share the 22nd spot with three other golfers.

Country's trailblazing golfer Siddikur Rahman, without whom there would arguably have been no Asian Tour-sanctioned Bangladesh Open, traded three birdies against one bogey, but was unable to start the back 9, as he aggregated one-under-par 110.

Siddikur shares the 26th spot with 11 other golfers at one-under, including two compatriots Nur Zamal and Sajib Ali, who finished their rounds at least, having shot 141.

Among other Bangladesh golfers, Badal Hossain and Mohammad Musa shared the 38th spot with eight other overseas golfers, all having shot 142 through two rounds.

Akbar Hossain [aggregated one-over-par 72] and Abdul Matin [aggregated one-over-par 143] shared the 48th spot with eight other overseas players.

The final two Bangladeshi golfers to make the cut, which was set at two-over, were Delwar Hossain [aggregated two-over-par 70] and Shakhawat Sohel [aggregated two-over-par 73].