Golf: NZers fight back after poor start in Puerto Rico

12.00pm

Tauranga golfer Josh Geary led a New Zealand revival on the second day of the Eisenhower Trophy world teams championship in Puerto Rico today.

Geary fired a three-under par 69 as New Zealand jumped 11 spots to a share of 33rd place at six-over par midway through the championship at the Rio Marr Country Club.

The in-form Geary, who shares 14th place for leading individuals, fired five birdies and two bogeys in his outstanding round on the Ocean course, with Wanganui's Riki Kauika shooting a three-over 75 and Auckland's Kevin Chun the non-counting 77.

While the Kiwis managed to move up the ladder, they moved further behind a rampant United States team who stretched their lead with a further remarkable display.

They moved to 20-under par to be eight shots clear of Spain, with a further three shots back to Switzerland, Wales and Sweden.

The Americans were led by the brilliant Ryan Moore who followed his opening seven-under 65 with a five-under 67 to lead all individuals by four shots to Switzerland's Nicolas Sulzer.

The Kiwis were in a position to finish in red figures today but all three dropped shots on the final hole.

Geary was in excellent touch again today with three birdies on the outward nine and mixing two birdies and two bogeys coming home. He was four-under playing the last with a 3m uphill putt for birdie, but three-putted.

Kauika had another ordinary start with two double bogeys in his first six holes although he dug deep to fire three birdies with two bogeys for his three-over 75, while Chun mixed a solitary birdie with six bogeys.

"Obviously it was a much improved day. Josh was definitely our rock out there and justifying my decision to send him off last," coach Brian Doyle said.

"Josh hit the ball really well today. He had a really good look at his birdie putt on the last which hit the hole. It could easily have been a 67 but instead it jagged a metre away and his missed the short one.

"Riki started badly again with two double bogeys but to his credit he fought back really well.

"Kevin was struggling today although we've had a good session on the practice range with him where he was hitting it much better than I've seen for a wee while.

"This is a very young group and they are very green. But the aim is to keep improving on our score each day and move up the leaderboard."

Doyle said conditions were ideal today with the New Zealanders first off, with only a late shower dampening things.

The leading scores after the second round of the Eisenhower Trophy World Teams Championship at Rio Mar CC (both courses par 72):

268 United States 132 136

276 Spain 137 139

279 Switzerland 137 142, Sweden 138 141, Wales 141 138

282 Italy 136 146

283 England 137 146, Germany 138 145, Australia 142 141

284 Japan 141 143

285 South Africa 147 138

286 Canada 143 143, Denmark 143 143, Malaysia 143 143

287 Netherlands 140 147

288 Chile 143 145, Korea 144 144, Austria 145, 143

289 Ireland 143 146, Mexico 148 141, Iceland 142 47

290 France 148 142, Finland 148 142, El Salvador 140 150

291 Philippines 143 148, Portugal 141 150, India 143 148, Scotland 141 150, Peru 146 145

293 Norway 148 145, Thailand 143 150, Bermuda 143 150

294 Argentina 144 150, NEW ZEALAND 150 144 (J Geary 72 69 R Kauika 79 75 K Chun 78 77)

- NZPA