Nakano leads during suspended second round of Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship
Rintaro Nakano of Japan plays his stroke from the No. 8 tee during round two of the 2024 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship being played at the Taiheiyo Club in Gotemba, Japan on Friday 04 October 2024. Photograph by AAC.
GOTEMBA, Japan – Japan’s Rintaro Nakano claimed a late one-stroke lead at seven-under over China’s Wenyi Ding during the second round of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship as the round was suspended due to darkness on Friday evening.
The second round was delayed by six and a half hours due to fog and heavy rain, including four inches overnight at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba.
Second-round play got underway at 1 p.m. with the morning wave of players facing damp conditions. Players in the afternoon wave did not tee off on Friday.
Nakano countered a bogey at the 14th with birdies at Nos. 13, 15 and 18 to turn at two-under on the day. After the turn, he added a late birdie at the third, a hole he eagled on Thursday, to claim a one-stroke lead over Ding.
Ding, the highest-ranked player in the field at fifth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, made the most of the soft conditions to notch up birdies at the 13th, 16th and 18th to move to six-under and one shot back of the lead with playing partner Nakano.
“I’m going to go bed earlier,” joked Nakano after the long weather delay. “I'm up early in the morning tomorrow, so recovery is important…Today was a long and difficult day waiting.”
First-round leader Randy Bintang from Indonesia remained at five-under and did not begin his second round on Friday as a member of the afternoon wave.
The second round will be completed tomorrow with the leading 60 players and ties progressing to the third round.
For more information on the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, please visit AACgolf.com and follow @AAC_Golf on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and YouTube.
