ISPS HANDA Japan-Australasia Championship Round 2

Date
Thu 5th March 2026 (UTC)
Fri 6th March 2026 (Local)

Timestamp
2026-03-05T18:30:00

Time

18:30:00 UTC (07:30:00 Local)

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League
PGA Tour of Australasia

Season
2025-2026

Round
19

Status
Match Finished

Location
Royal Auckland and Grange

Video Highlights

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Event Statistics

Description

The second round of the ISPS HANDA Japan-Australasia Championship at Royal Auckland & Grange Golf Club serves as a critical junction for the 156-man field. With the 36-hole cut looming, the strategic narrative focuses on the composite course’s notoriously "steep and slopy" greens, which became a major talking point after the opening round. Players must exercise extreme discipline to leave their approach shots in the correct quadrants to avoid treacherous three-putts, especially as the greens continue to firm up under the New Zealand sun.

The storyline for Friday centers on whether the international leaders can separate themselves from a tightly bunched pack that saw 38 players within four shots of the lead on day one. For the local New Zealand favorites, including club member Nick Voke, the second round is an opportunity to leverage deep course knowledge as the tournament director likely "tucks the pins" into more challenging positions. With a two-year Japan Golf Tour exemption and significant Order of Merit points on the line, the pressure to secure a late-afternoon tee time for the weekend is immense.

Reports

Result List

Result Description

Jay Mackenzie and Kohei Okada sit tied for the lead at 9-under-par after a high-scoring second round in Auckland. Mackenzie, an Australian, surged late in the day with three birdies in his final six holes to post a 67, matching the score of Japan's Okada, whose highlight was a brilliant eagle on the par-5 6th. The duo holds a one-stroke advantage over a rejuvenated chasing pack as the inaugural co-sanctioned event heads into the weekend.

The performance of the day belonged to Curtis Luck, who shattered the 16-hour-old course record with a sensational 8-under-par 64. Luck’s round was a 13-shot improvement from his Thursday effort and included a stretch of six consecutive birdies. Joining the hunt at 8-under are home favorite Nick Voke, who carded a bogey-free 66, and Ryan Peake, the 2025 NZ Open champion, who fired a 65. Overnight leader Yoshinori Fujimoto remains well in contention at 7-under after a steady 71. The cut fell at 1-over-par, with Order of Merit leader Cam John comfortably advancing, while second-ranked Christopher Wood was the most notable casualty of the halfway mark.

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