Nick Dunlap of the United States of America at the 18th hole during the second round of the World Amateur Team Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, United Arab Emirates on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023 (Copyright USGA/Steven Gibbons)
19 OCTOBER, 2023 - USGA, BY JOEY GESKE: The United States of America’s Nick Dunlap, who is No. 4 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking®/WAGR®, tallied seven birdies en route to a 5-under 67 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club to position the Americans one stroke clear of France and the People’s Republic of China through the second round of the 33rd World Amateur Team Championship.
“I just like the vibe out here,” said Dunlap, the 2023 U.S. Amateur champion. “It’s a little bit different so I’m just trying to embrace it. There are a couple holes that I like hitting 3-wood where a lot of people are hitting driver, so I’m trying to play to my strengths and play to what looks good to my eye and go from there.”
USA also used a 2-under 70 from world No. 2 Gordon Sargent, who officially earned PGA Tour membership on Wednesday via PGA Tour University Accelerated, for a two-day total of 16-under 272. After a slow team start, Dunlap and Sargent combined for five birdies during a four-hole stretch at the conclusion of their first nine.
“This team had another really good day,” said USA Captain Mark Newell. “It started out kind of challenging out there, but they really turned it on around the turn (team started on No. 10) and played some really good golf in conditions that were reasonably challenging with the heat and the wind.”
France, which held a share of the lead at the start of the day, was led by 15-year-old Hugo Le Goff’s 4-under 68 and a 2-under 70 from 2023 U.S. Open qualifier Bastien Amat. Hugo, a 2023 R&A Boys’ Amateur semifinalist, had an eagle and three birdies through his first seven holes.
“He’s one of the youngest players on the course, but he looks like a very experienced player when you see him play,” said French Captain Antoine Delon. “Very professional on the course and very steady for the team.”
The People’s Republic of China, which finished in a tie for 31st last year in France, moved up six places on the leader board on the strength of a 5-under 67 from Zihang Qiu and a 4-under 68 from Justin Bai, who has committed to play at the University of Washington in 2024.
“We’ve had a very good start in this tournament, much better than last year,” said the People’s Republic of China’s coach Zheng Pang. “Our players played very good and very smart. They just played their tempo.”
Australia remains two strokes behind the USA in a tie for fourth place with Czechia on the strength of another steady day from two-time Australian Junior Amateur champion Jeffrey Guan and Stanford University senior Karl Vilips. Guan and Vilips, who qualified for the 2023 U.S. Open, traded a pair of 67s and 68s during the first two rounds to lead the Aussies to a 14-under total of 270.
Frederik Kjettrup rebounded from an opening-round 75 with a 5-under 67 on Thursday to position Demark in a tie for sixth alongside Argentina at 275. Jacob Skov Olesen added a 71 for Denmark.
“It’s nice that the guys had my back when I didn’t play very well yesterday, and I got to put a good round in to help the team today,” said Kjetterup, who is No. 15 in the WAGR® and a senior at Florida State University. “I was hitting it good today. I could have holed some more [putts] from 10-25 feet, but once I started hitting [approach shots] inside 10 feet, I was making some birdies and that was good.”
Completing the top 10 are Mexico and The Netherlands with team totals of 12-under 276.
Results from Thursday's second round of the 2023 World Amateur Team Championships, played at par-72 Abu Dhabi Golf Club (National Course), in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
1 United States of America 135-137--272
Nick Dunlap 69-67--136
Gordon Sargent 67-70--137
David Ford 68-74--142
Nick Dunlap 69-67--136
Gordon Sargent 67-70--137
David Ford 68-74--142
T2 People's Republic of China 138-135--273
Zihang Qiu 69-67--136
Justin Bai 69-68--137
Ziqin Zhou 76-69--145
Zihang Qiu 69-67--136
Justin Bai 69-68--137
Ziqin Zhou 76-69--145
T2 France 135-138--273
Hugo Le Goff 67-68--135
Bastien Amat 68-70--138
Paul Beauvy 68-73--141
Hugo Le Goff 67-68--135
Bastien Amat 68-70--138
Paul Beauvy 68-73--141
T4 Czechia 139-135--274
Filip Jakubcik 69-67--136
Petr Hruby 72-68--140
Louis Klein 70-72--142
Filip Jakubcik 69-67--136
Petr Hruby 72-68--140
Louis Klein 70-72--142
T4 Australia 137-137--274
Karl Vilips 69-68--137
Jeff Guan 68-69--137
Jack Buchanan 76-72--148
Karl Vilips 69-68--137
Jeff Guan 68-69--137
Jack Buchanan 76-72--148
T6 Argentina 137-138--275
Vicente Marzilio 69-68--137
Joaquín Ludueña 70-70--140
Segundo Oliva Pinto 68-72--140
Vicente Marzilio 69-68--137
Joaquín Ludueña 70-70--140
Segundo Oliva Pinto 68-72--140
T6 Denmark 137-138--275
Frederik Kjettrup 75-67--142
Jacob Olesen 68-71--139
Gustav Frimodt 69-75--144
Frederik Kjettrup 75-67--142
Jacob Olesen 68-71--139
Gustav Frimodt 69-75--144
T8 Mexico 143-133--276
Santiago De La Fuente del Valle 71-66--137
José Islas Valdespino 75-67--142
Omar Morales 72-68--140
Santiago De La Fuente del Valle 71-66--137
José Islas Valdespino 75-67--142
Omar Morales 72-68--140
T8 Netherlands 136-140--276
Jack Ingham 70-70--140
Lars van der Vight 77-70--147
Benjamin Reuter 66-71--137
Jack Ingham 70-70--140
Lars van der Vight 77-70--147
Benjamin Reuter 66-71--137
10 South Africa 139-138--277
Christo Lamprecht 71-68--139
Christiaan Maas 70-70--140
Altin van der Merwe 69-71--140
Christo Lamprecht 71-68--139
Christiaan Maas 70-70--140
Altin van der Merwe 69-71--140
T11 New Zealand 139-139--278
Jayden Ford 74-69--143
Kazuma Kobori 70-70--140
Sam Jones 69-72--141
Jayden Ford 74-69--143
Kazuma Kobori 70-70--140
Sam Jones 69-72--141
T11 Spain 138-140--278
Luis Masaveu Roncal 69-70--139
Angel Ayora 71-70--141
José Luis Ballester 69-72--141
Luis Masaveu Roncal 69-70--139
Angel Ayora 71-70--141
José Luis Ballester 69-72--141
T11 Norway 144-134--278
Herman Sekne 73-64--137
Michael Mjaaseth 71-70--141
Mats Ege 75-77--152
Herman Sekne 73-64--137
Michael Mjaaseth 71-70--141
Mats Ege 75-77--152
14 Chinese Taipei 143-136--279
Chuan-Tai Lin 72-66--138
Ching Hung Su 71-70--141
Chi Chun Chen 74-77--151
Chuan-Tai Lin 72-66--138
Ching Hung Su 71-70--141
Chi Chun Chen 74-77--151
T15 England 137-143--280
Tyler Weaver 68-71--139
Jack Bigham 72-72--144
Barclay Brown 69-73--142
Tyler Weaver 68-71--139
Jack Bigham 72-72--144
Barclay Brown 69-73--142
T15 Italy 142-138--280
Pietro Bovari 69-67--136
Riccardo Fantinelli 74-71--145
Flavio Michetti 73-73--146
Pietro Bovari 69-67--136
Riccardo Fantinelli 74-71--145
Flavio Michetti 73-73--146
T17 Colombia 142-139--281
Nicolas Quintero 69-69--138
Manuel Merizalde 76-70--146
Carlos Conde 73-72--145
Nicolas Quintero 69-69--138
Manuel Merizalde 76-70--146
Carlos Conde 73-72--145
T17 Scotland 141-140--281
Calum Scott 71-69--140
Connor Graham 70-71--141
Gregor Tait 78-79--157
Calum Scott 71-69--140
Connor Graham 70-71--141
Gregor Tait 78-79--157
T17 Wales 142-139--281
James Ashfield 72-68--140
Tomi Bowen 70-71--141
Matt Roberts 75-71--146
James Ashfield 72-68--140
Tomi Bowen 70-71--141
Matt Roberts 75-71--146
T20 Japan 142-140--282
Minato Oshima 70-70--140
Yuta Sugiura 72-70--142
Riura Matsui 75-70--145
Minato Oshima 70-70--140
Yuta Sugiura 72-70--142
Riura Matsui 75-70--145
T20 Germany 141-141--282
Jonas Baumgartner 71-70--141
Tiger Christensen 73-71--144
Tim Wiedemeyer 70-72--142
Jonas Baumgartner 71-70--141
Tiger Christensen 73-71--144
Tim Wiedemeyer 70-72--142
22 Morocco 141-142--283
Soufiane Dahmane 69-69--138
El Mehdi Fakori 75-73--148
Hugo Mazen Trometter 72-74--146
Soufiane Dahmane 69-69--138
El Mehdi Fakori 75-73--148
Hugo Mazen Trometter 72-74--146
T23 Ireland 145-139--284
Matthew McClean 72-68--140
Liam Nolan 75-71--146
Alex Maguire 73-73--146
Matthew McClean 72-68--140
Liam Nolan 75-71--146
Alex Maguire 73-73--146
T23 Switzerland 142-142--284
Max Sturdza 70-68--138
Nicola Gerhardsen 74-74--148
Marc Keller 72-80--152
Max Sturdza 70-68--138
Nicola Gerhardsen 74-74--148
Marc Keller 72-80--152
T25 Sweden 145-141--286
Albert Hansson 79-70--149
Daniel Svard 70-71--141
Tobias Jonsson 75-71--146
Albert Hansson 79-70--149
Daniel Svard 70-71--141
Tobias Jonsson 75-71--146
T25 Republic of Korea 144-142--286
Seonghyeon An 73-70--143
Donghyun Moon 71-72--143
Sungho Lee 74-72--146
Seonghyeon An 73-70--143
Donghyun Moon 71-72--143
Sungho Lee 74-72--146
T27 Finland 149-139--288
Elias Haavisto 77-67--144
Jesse Saareks 74-72--146
Markus Luoma 75-75--150
Elias Haavisto 77-67--144
Jesse Saareks 74-72--146
Markus Luoma 75-75--150
T27 Canada 146-142--288
Ashton McCulloch 74-70--144
Brady McKinlay 72-72--144
Piercen Hunt 80-74--154
Ashton McCulloch 74-70--144
Brady McKinlay 72-72--144
Piercen Hunt 80-74--154
29 Guatemala 146-143--289
Gabriel Palacios 72-70--142
Alejandro Villavicencio 82-73--155
Juan Ricardo Davila 74-74--148
Gabriel Palacios 72-70--142
Alejandro Villavicencio 82-73--155
Juan Ricardo Davila 74-74--148
30 Zimbabwe 143-147--290
Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa 70-72--142
Keegan James Shutt 82-75--157
David Amm 73-76--149
Tafadzwa Nyamukondiwa 70-72--142
Keegan James Shutt 82-75--157
David Amm 73-76--149
31 Austria 147-144--291
Christoph Bleier 73-71--144
Fabian Lang 78-73--151
Florian Schweighofer 74-77--151
Christoph Bleier 73-71--144
Fabian Lang 78-73--151
Florian Schweighofer 74-77--151
32 India 150-142--292
Yuvraj Singh 74-70--144
Rohit Narwal 79-72--151
Shaurya Bhattacharya 76-73--149
Yuvraj Singh 74-70--144
Rohit Narwal 79-72--151
Shaurya Bhattacharya 76-73--149
33 Thailand 149-145--294
Ashita Piamkulvanich 74-70--144
Parin Sarasmut 75-75--150
Jiradech Chaowarat 75-77--152
Ashita Piamkulvanich 74-70--144
Parin Sarasmut 75-75--150
Jiradech Chaowarat 75-77--152
34 Singapore 154-142--296
Ryan Ang 78-71--149
Hiroshi Hirahara Tai 79-71--150
Troy Storm 76-78--154
Ryan Ang 78-71--149
Hiroshi Hirahara Tai 79-71--150
Troy Storm 76-78--154
35 United Arab Emirates 155-153--308
Ahmad Skaik 80-74--154
Rayan Ahmed 79-79--158
Thomas Nesbitt 76-80--156
Ahmad Skaik 80-74--154
Rayan Ahmed 79-79--158
Thomas Nesbitt 76-80--156
36 Guam 169-158--327
Nalapon Vongjalorn 84-78--162
Markus Nanpei 86-80--166
Eugene Park 85-86--171
Nalapon Vongjalorn 84-78--162
Markus Nanpei 86-80--166
Eugene Park 85-86--171
