Aaron Wise grabs lead at Australian Master of the Amateurs

MELBOURNE, Australia (January 9, 2016) -- American golfer Aaron Wise (Lake Elsinore, Calif.) got off to a flying start in today’s round of the Australian Master of the Amateurs at Royal Melbourne Club.

His reward is a one shot lead going into the final round of this prestigious championship, for which the winner is awarded a green jacket and exemptions into the Players Amateur and Porter Cup tournaments in the United States.

Wise started an amazing 6-under after his first 6 holes, spurred by an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole.  The 6-under start helped the University of Oregon golfer claw back some of the ground lost in yesterday’s wind swept second round. Bogeys on the 9th and 10th and a double-bogey on the 16th stopped the round from being extra special. But it’s unlikely that Wise would have argued with 68 if given the opportunity to post it before teeing off.

68 was the same score carded today by Englishman Jonathan Thomson. He too struggled with the winds yesterday, but steadied today with 34 on the front nine and 34 on the back to be just one shot off the lead.

Local amateurs Thomas Power Horan and Andrew Schonewille are the only other players in the red. They are the leading Australians and are two shots off the lead, with a three shot break from the remainder of the field.