Sugiura stays in hunt for maiden international glory in New Zealand

Rookie professional Yuta Sugiura put himself in contention for a potentially sensational victory in just his first outing abroad after tying for the seventh spot and being just three shots off the pace at the halfway stage of the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.

The 22-year-old, who joined the play-for-pay ranks at the end of last year, added a superb six-under-par 65 at the Millbrook Golf Resort's Remarkables Course to his first-round 68 (on the Coronet Course) to reach the 36-hole mark at nine-under-par 133 on Friday.

Australia's Scott Hend kept himself at the top after posting a 66 (Coronet), while fellow joint leader and countryman Matthew Griffin shot a 68 (Coronet) to slip into a tie for second with four others at two shots back.

Takahiro Hataji (65, Remarkables) finished as the second-best-placed Japanese in joint 12th on eight-under, followed by Mikumu Horikawa and Naoki Sekito, who fired 64 and 66 on the Remarkables to be tied for 21st on 135.

Sugiura will be eager to carry his fine momentum into the weekend after mixing seven birdies with a lone bogey to keep the leader in sight.

Making his first competitive start of the year, Sugiura made a trip to New Zealand in the hope of securing a confidence-boosting outing ahead of the JGTO season-opener next month.

As an amateur, Sugiura made heads turn by clinching a historic victory at the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in November, becoming the first-ever amateur champion in the event's landmark 50th edition.

He also became only the seventh amateur winner in JGTO history.

The feat convinced Sugiura, who's also a one-time ABEMA Tour winner, to turn professional and made his debut at the Casio World Open. Although he missed the cut, he would go on to finish a creditable tied 18th at the season-ending Golf Nippon Series JT Cup.

Tomoharu Otsuki (67, Remarkables) and Taihei Sato (69, Coronet) were in a share of 28th place and six shots off the pace.

Kodai Ichihara and Ryuko Tokimatsu (tied 43rd, 137) and Ryosuke Kinoshita (tied 58th, 138) also made the cut, bringing the total of Japanese competitors resuming action in the weekend to nine.