Northlands Luke Brown and Australias Jordan Garner have both carded rounds of five-under (67) to equal the course record and lead the New Zealand Amateur Championship at the Russley Golf Club.
The pair hold a two-shot lead over Jose De Sousa entering the second and final round of qualifying as
we look to find the top 32 golfers to progress to the exciting match-play stages.
After competing at one of the worlds most prestigious amateur events in Wellington last week, Brown was primed for an assault at the countrys premiere amateur title.
"It was solid today, I went out there to try and take advantage of no wind and I am really happy with how my game has progressed after the Asia-Pacific Amateur," said Brown.
"Obviously the New Zealand Amateur is a prestigious event, but it felt like I was just enjoying my round with a few mates after the big crowds last week."
As predicted, the Australians are making themselves well-known, but Garner was the most impressive of them all after making six birdies and one eagle this afternoon.
"I got off to a solid start and the course is in great knick which helps and then my putter got hot through the middle stages which was pleasing," said Garner.
After his courageous victory last year, Louis Dobbelaar has raised the awareness of the New Zealand Amateur with 16 Australians playing this week.
"Louis winning last year was really good for Australians, so knowing we can compete over here is great and its nice to get out of the comfort zone."
The 18-year-old has played in a high-quality run of events with the recent Western Australian and Queensland Opens as his preparation for this trip.
Further back there is a plethora of quality players with Fraser MacLachlan returning to the game to be tied with New Zealand representatives Daniel Hillier and Ryan Chisnall in fourth place.
There is a log-jam at the top of the womens field and its no surprise to see Canterburys Amelia Garvey once again at the top of the list.
With a total of one-over par, she holds a slim one-shot lead over Russleys very own Juliana Hung and North Shores Sylvia Brunotti.
"Its awesome to be able to know the course, its one of my home tracks, so it makes a big difference," said Garvey.
With five birdies throughout the round, the current New Zealand stroke-play champion is confident she can produce even lower scores as the week goes on and potentially add to her trophy cabinet.
"It would be unreal and certainly cap off a good year. To even win one of the major titles is great, but to win both is unimaginable."
To make the top 32 is slightly less stressful for the field of 40, but to qualify high on the leaderboard will ensure these top-class players earn a favourable draw leading into the business end of the event.
Once again, the fantastic volunteers and staff at the Russley Golf Club will open the gates early for a 7:15 start time where the strong afternoon field will look to capitalize on calmer conditions.
FULL WOMENS LEADERBOARD
FULL MENS LEADERBOARD
ROUND TWO TEE TIMES
New Zealand Amateur Championship
Scores after Round One
Wed 1 Nov 2017 (Par 72)
67 Jordan Garner (Australia), Luke Brown (The Pines)
69 Jose De Sousa (New Zealand)
70 Fraser MacLachlan (Millbrook Resort & Country Club), Jared Edwards (Royal Auckland and Grange), James Hydes (Wainui), Daniel Hillier (Manor Park), Ryan Chisnall (Greenacres)
71 Tyler Wood (Ngahinepouri), Tommy Liu (Royal Auckland and Grange), Jang Hyun Lee (Maungakiekie), Louis Dobbelaar (Australia), Charlie Smail (Walton), Mako Thompson (Maraenui), Mark Hutson (Muriwai)
72 Hayato Miya (Russley), Steven Cox (Australia), Scott Manyweathers (Harewood)
73 Jordan Pruden (Bottle Lake), James Anstiss (Wakatipu Junior), Kerry Mountcastle (Masterton), Sam Purdon (Templeton), Shaun Campbell (Omanu), William Howard (Tauranga)
74 Dominic Brettkelly (Hororata), Reid Hilton (Russley), Tom Parker (Christchurch), Joseph Hancock (Otago), Inia Logan (Wakatipu Junior), Tyler Wooster (Australia), Guy Perry (Manawatu), Oscar Cadenhead (Clearwater)
75 Anthony Weatherhead (Russley), Jake Lee (Muriwai), Taylor Hosking (Russley), Nic Kay (Coringa Inc.), Liam Georgiadis (Australia), Thomas Woods (Miramar), Matthew Morris (St. Andrews of Hamilton (Hamilton)), Kevin Koong (Muriwai), Matty Tiplady (Maungakiekie), Bailey Watson (Australia)
76 Reid Perry (Manawatu), Kit Bittle (Wainui), Peter Spearman-Burn (Miramar), Chang Gi Lee (Pupuke), Karan Nalam (Royal Auckland and Grange), Mason Lee (Royal Auckland and Grange), Min Su Se (Tauranga), Scott Hellier (Gore), Robert Gregory (Harewood), Jacob Roberts (Russley), Takuma Kikukawa (Russley)
77 Fletcher Broderick (New Plymouth Inc.), Nik Bull (Tai Tapu), Hiroki Miya (Russley), David Shimmin (Australia), Mark Hyde (Russley), George Wardell (Tauranga), Minseo Kwon (Maungakiekie), Lawrence Curtis (Australia), Lewis Pownell (Russley)
78 David Kelly (Russley), Taylor Gill (Bay of Islands Kerikeri Incorporated), Matthew Friend (Wainui), Johnny Tynan (Titirangi), Brody Harbinson-Graham (Australia), Sam Yoshifuji (Gulf Harbour Country Club), Ben Patston (Otago), Connor Barker (Remuera), Kaito Chiu (Australia)
79 Jeremy Hall (Green Acres Country Club), Sung Jin Yeo (North Shore), Sungwoo Han (Queenstown), Daniel Laughton (Templeton), Do Yeon Kim (Muriwai), Andrew Nakone (Australia), Jordan Woodall (Cambridge), Sam Reese (St. Andrews of Hamilton (Hamilton))
80 Brian Heo (Muriwai), Jack Turner (Wakatipu Junior), Matthew McLean (Harewood), Joe Tiplady (Royal Auckland and Grange), Kieran Vogels (Australia), Ben Baker (Russley), Kazuma Kobori (Rangiora), Jye Pickin (Australia)
81 Bradley Doherty (Australia), Walker Lin (McLeans Island), Jae Wan Kim (Wainui), Archie Gothard (Royal Auckland and Grange), Seven (Guangyu) Zhao (Coringa Inc.)
82 Zachary May (Russley), Tom Wilson (Templeton), Wonjae Heo (Pakuranga), Joshua Bernhard Rookes (Waitemata), Jeremy Goodman (Pegasus)
83 Jayden Ford (Judgeford), Kristopher Williamson (Cook Islands), Richard Reed (Christchurch), Luke Kidd (Riverside), Samuel Matheson (Australia), Jin Sung Kim (Waitikiri), Yihao (Steven) Yang (Coringa Inc.)
84 Zachary Maxwell (Australia), Jesper Bengtsson (North Shore), Oak Archvarin (Riverside), Trey Shedlock (Titahi), David Kim (Pakuranga), Christian Nitsche (Whangarei), Jakob Bleach (St Clair)
85 Andrew Mouat (Hastings)
86 Steven Oh (Wainui)
87 Michael Anderson (Fairlie)
91 Christian Zeng (Manor Park)
92 Tim Corcoran (Coringa Inc.)
New Zealand Amateur Championship
Womens Scores after Round One
Wed 1 Nov 2017 (Par 72)
73 Amelia Garvey (Kaiapoi)
74 Silvia Brunotti (North Shore), Juliana Hung (Russley)
75 Chantelle Cassidy (Riverside), Miree Jung (Titirangi)
76 Carmen Lim (Windross Farm Golf Course), Tara Raj (Wanganui)
77 Fuuka Higashi (Rangiora), Caitlin Maurice (Omokoroa), Joanna Kim (Pakuranga)
78 Olive Tapu (Christchurch), Caryn Khoo (Pakuranga), Jade Shellback (Australia)
79 Darae Chung (Shandon), Georgia Shears (Australia), Amy Weng (Russley), Brittney Dryland (Titirangi), Vivian Lu (Royal Auckland and Grange), Hillary O'Connor (Pegasus)
80 Mudra Lakhani (Manawatu), Siyi Keh (Pakuranga), Rose Zheng (Pakuranga)
81 Jessica Huang (Pakuranga), Alessia Trebbi Tindall (Te Puke), Jessica Green (North Shore)
82 Zoann Huang (St. Andrews of Hamilton (Hamilton))
84 Robyn Cruse (Russley)
85 Rachel Eder (Clearwater), Jodae Ngaheu (Tauranga), Yoonjeong Huh (Gulf Harbour Country Club)
87 Madeleine May (Russley), Lizzie Neale (Nelson Inc.), Erika Cui (Boulcott's Farm Heritage), Shontalia William (Boulcott's Farm Heritage)
88 Fiona Xu (Akarana)
89 Ellie Baek (Pakuranga)
90 Mary Chen (Remuera), Haruka (Helen) Muta (Pakuranga)
92 Sumin Kang (Wakatipu Junior)
- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Golf NZ
Luke Brown in battle with Aussie gun for top spot
Northlands Luke Brown and Australias Jordan Garner have both carded rounds of five-under (67) to equal the course record and lead the New Zealand Amateur Championship at the Russley Golf Club.
The pair hold a two-shot lead over Jose De Sousa entering the second and final round of qualifying as
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