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United States Retains Lead After Toyota World Golf Cup Second Round

United States Retains Lead After Toyota World Golf Cup Second Round
Sapp shoots 68 to fall to second place

MINAKUCHI, Japan ? The United States shot six-under par 210 for a two-round 13-under par 419 to retain a two-stroke lead over Canada and South Africa after the second round of the Toyota Junior World Golf Cup. South Africa?s Matthew Kent broke the tournament and course record by firing an eight-under 64 to move past Garrett Sapp of the United States and Spain?s Pablo Martin Benavides for a one-stroke lead at the 7,006-yard, par 72 bear?s Paw Country Club in Minakuchi, Japan. The former tournament record was set by Japan?s Yusaku Miyazato in 1996.

All three of the USA?s counters were under par for the round, led by Sapp?s 68. Sapp birdied holes seven and eight for two under after nine. He bogeyed 11 and then putted it in off the fringe to eagle 12 and birdied 13. Patton Kizzire and Will Osborne both shot one-under 71. Kevin Chappell was three over at the turn but rebounded to with 35 on the back nine to finish with 74 for the round.

"Garrett Sapp continues to play well and lead our team," said Team USA head coach Mike Ketcham. "He?s only made two bogeys in 36 holes. I though that Will (Osborne) and Patton (Kizzire) came back today after what they felt were sub-par rounds yesterday to post two under par rounds. I know that Kevin Chappell will come back strong tomorrow. This is all about team effort and it?s something that we don?t do enough of at the junior level in the United States and these kids haven?t done anything of this magnitude. They?re doing a great job."

Canada - who entered the day two shots back of the Americans - also shot six-under on the day to stay two back. Keven Fortin Simard once again fired the low round for the Canadians with a 69 and was joined by Ryan Lidkea (70) and Dale Vallely (71) under par.

South Africa and Spain made the biggest moves in the second round, each posting scores of 209 to move to 421 (-11) and 424 (-8), respectively. Kent led South Africa?s charge into a second place tie with Canada with the record-breaking round of 64. Andrew Georgiou also broke par for South Africa, shooting 71. All three of the Spanish counters - Pablo Martin Benavides (69), Gonzalo Berlin Maschwitz (71) and Lluis Garcia Del Moral (72) - were at par or better to help them move into a fourth place tie with South Korea.

Austria sits in sixth place after a three-under 213 moved them to three-under for the tournament and is the only remaining team under par. Japan is one stroke over (433) and in seventh place after two rounds and is followed by New Zealand (435, +3), Argentina (436, +4), Mexico (437, +5), Italy (438, +6) and Colombia (444, +12).

Individually, the course record was broken for the second time in as many days after Kent?s 64 bettered Sapp?s first round 67. The 64 moved him to 10-under 134 for a one-stroke lead over Benavides and Sapp . Mexico?s Gerardo Domas posted a round of 68 - his second straight in the 60s - to move into third place tie with a two-round total of seven-under 137 with Won-Kyung Heo of South Korea and Canada?s Simard. Austria?s Dominic Angkawidjaja has made a pair of 69s to stand four shots back at six-under 138.

"I'm happy with the way that I've played with two rounds to go," said Sapp.  "The team is happy to be two up right now but we know that we have a long way to go."