Australia takes big lead in World Amateur Team Championship
RIVIERA MAYA, Mexico (AP) - Cameron Davis and Harrison Endycott each shot 5-under 66 on Thursday at Iberostar Playa Paraiso to help Australia take an eight-stroke lead in the World Amateur Team Championship.
A stroke behind Scotland after the opening round at Iberostar Playa Paraiso, Australia had a 19-under 267 total - one off the 36-hole record set by the United States in 2012. The best two scores count in the total for the three-man teams, with U.S. Amateur champion Curtis Luck shooting a 71 to again lag behind his teammates.
Davis topped the individual standings at 10-under 133, a stroke ahead of Endycott and two in front of Poland's Adrian Meronk (69).
Davis finished second in both the Asia-Pacific Amateur and Australian Amateur last year. He had seven birdies for the second straight day. Endycott, the Porter Cup champion, made a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th.
"We are full of confidence," Endycott said. "We all believe in the three of us. As long we keep building that momentum like we are doing at the moment it is going to be a good week."
Australia matched the best second-round total in event history at 10-under 132. It won the Eisenhower Trophy in 1958, 1966 and 1996.
"The mindset was to be as competitive as we can," Australian captain Matt Cutler said. "You talk about having an opportunity to win. If we play well we have a chance to win so that has been our focus."
The two-time defending champion United States was second. Stanford's Maverick McNealy and Texas' Scottie Scheffler shot 69 at Mayakoba El Camaleon, and Oklahoma's Brad Dalke had a non-counting 72.
"We had a nice finish with Maverick making five in a row on the back nine and we're very pleased," U.S. captain Paul Caruso said. "There was a little bit of weather and wind at the start, but once it calmed down we played good golf."
Switzerland was third at 10 under. Jeremy Freiburghaus shot 68, and Mathias Eggenberger 71 at Iberostar Playa Paraiso. Poland was fourth at 9 under, and Scotland fifth at 8 under.
The leading teams will play Iberostar Playa Paraiso on Saturday and close at Mayakoba El Camaleon on Sunday.