New Zealand leads after Day 2 at World Am Team; U.S. climbs
Justin Suh (USGA photo)
DUBLIN, Ireland (Sept. 6, 2018) – New Zealand has the lead after two rounds at Carton House for the World Amateur Team Championship. Led by a 7-under 65 from Daniel Hillier and a 6-under 66 from Denzel Ieremia on the more challenging Montgomerie Course, the team was able to take a slim one-shot lead at the halfway point of the competition. New Zealand is 20 under after two days.
“I saw there was a scoreboard on 16,” said Hillier, who shared medallist honors in the 2018 U.S. Amateur. “I didn’t even want to look at it. I just thought I’ve got a job to do and I’ve got to do it. And I managed to finish strong, which was nice.”
After a morning of rain, temperatures rose and scoring conditions improved, producing a slew of under-par scores and shifts on the scoreboard.
John Axelson was the leading man for first-round leader Denmark with a 4-under 69 on the O’Meara Course. Denmark, at 19 under, is tied for second.
Thailand climbed into a part of that tie for second after a strong second round. Thailand tied New Zealand for the best score of the day with a 13-under 131 total. Ireland, meanwhile, was 9 under on Thursday. Both teams are also 19 under for the tournament.
New Zealand and Thailand's 36-hole scores of 131 were one shot better than the previous 36-hole record of 132 recorded by Sweden in 2006 and Australia in 2016.
The Americans made a big move up the leaderboard, jumping from a tie for 19th to a tie for sixth. Collin Morikawa had 7-under 66 on the O’Meara Course and Justin Suh added 6-under 67. The U.S. is 17 under after two rounds.
Information from the USGA used in this report
ABOUT THE Men's World Amateur Team
In 1958 the United States Golf Association
asked The R&A to join them in sponsoring
a world-wide amateur golf team event to
be played biennially in non-Walker Cup
years. Between 35 and 40 nations were
represented at the first meeting and
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
presented the trophy which bears his
name. The committee of the event was to
be known as the World Amateur Golf
Council and is now the International Golf
Federation. Teams of four players from
each country competed over 72 holes with
the leading three scores from each round
to count. The first competition was held
between 29 nations at St Andrews, with
Australia beating the United States in a
play-off. In 2002 the format changed to
teams of three with the two leading
scores to count.
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