Martin Couvra Takes Two-Shot Lead in Türkiye

Antalya, Türkiye — Martin Couvra of France leads the DP World Tour event in Türkiye, entering the weekend with a two-shot advantage. The 22-year-old rookie shot a five-under 66 on Friday at Regnum Carya, moving clear from a three-way tie at the start of the day.

Couvra, who has shown promise in his first season on the tour, now sits at 11 under par. He is closely followed by South Africa’s Eric van Rooyen and China’s Haotong Li, who is just a shot behind in third.

“I’m really happy about my game today — it’s always good to have a bogey-free round,” Couvra said. He highlighted his performance with birdies on three consecutive holes starting from the seventh, including a tap-in at the ninth after a remarkable approach shot.

After finishing with further birdies from three feet at the par-five 12th and 11 feet at the last hole, he expressed a desire to keep a relaxed mind as he enjoys his time in Türkiye. “I just try to keep the same mindset on the golf course,” he added. “I’m going to have a good time tonight with some friends and some French players — we won’t talk about golf tonight!”

In an exciting display, Nienaber notched seven birdies for a best-of-the-day score of 65. Li matched his effort with a flawless six-under-par round, sharing insights on the improved conditions he experienced.

“The greens were rolling super pure this morning compared to yesterday afternoon,” said Li. “I think that the two weeks in China kind of hurt my confidence a little bit, but I found my rhythm again.”

Overnight leaders Tiger Christensen and Robin Williams ended the day with rounds of 70, placing them in a tie for fourth alongside Germany’s Yannik Paul and England’s Todd Clements. With the weekend ahead, the tension builds as players compete for the title.