United States takes lead at Spirit International

TRINITY, TX (October 13, 2015) -- Norway, Japan, Mexico and the USA all held the lead at one time during the first couple of days, but it’s the US who took the lead after the second round of play in Trinity, Texas. The US team of Phillip Barbaree of Louisiana and Will Zalitoris, a student at Wake Forest, combined to go 12-under on day two for a round of 60 on the 7,382-yard, par-72 Whispering Pines Golf Club. Their first round score of 66 was three shots off the lead held by Norway and two shots behind second place Australia. Overall, their 66-60=126 is currently three shots ahead of Australia and six shots ahead of third-place Mexico. Norway finished the day with a 1-under 71 to drop into a tie for 6th with Italy. France and Spain are tied for fourth with a two-round total of 133. The Spirit International is a combined event, with team scores for men, women and a combined total score. On the women’s side of the draw, Mexico is in the lead after posting rounds of 64-67=131, two shots ahead of Belgium and Japan (133). The United States tandem of Mariel Galdiano and Hannah O’Sullivan have struggled to make birdies, but have hung tough posting rounds of 69-68=137 to move up to a tie for 7th place. The combined scoreboard has the US and Mexico in a tie for first at 25-under, followed by France (21-under) in second and Japan and Finland tied for third (270). Play resumes on Wednesday from Trinity.