Sam Mullane of the UAE delivered a strong performance in the second round of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Nomura Cup, held in Vietnam. Mullane shot a one-under-par 71, contributing to his 36-hole total of five over par 149. The 21-year-old, competing at Vinpearl Golf Hai Phong, demonstrated resilience after a challenging first round.
Reflecting on his round, Mullane noted, “I played solid golf today, struck the ball better, and played more strategically compared to the first round. The windy conditions and firm greens made the pins hard to access, even with a wedge.“The greens were rolling at 11 feet on the stimpmeter, and down-grain, they felt like glass. My focus for round three remains the same - play freely and take opportunities when they come.” Mullane had started with a round of 78 but managed to bounce back with birdies on holes 2 and 4, despite a bogey on hole 3. He then parred all 15 remaining holes to finish with a 71.
The Nomura Cup, also known as the APGC Team Championship, is a biennial amateur team event for men. Ahmad Skaik, the second player for Team UAE, shot a 78 in round two, while Jonathan Selvaraj, the third member, carded a non-counting 79, following his impressive round one score of 70. The UAE currently sits in 12th place in the Team Division, with two more rounds to play in this best-two-scores-from-three format. Saudi Arabia holds 16th place.
Japan leads the Team Championship with a 10-under-par total, following the week's best team score of nine under par. They are two strokes ahead of host nation Vietnam and New Zealand, both tied for second after rounds of 143 and 137. The Nomura Cup is being contested on the Marsh Course at Vinpearl Golf Hai Phong, a par-72 layout stretching 7,508 yards, renowned for its challenging natural marshland.
Competing countries include Australia, China, Chinese Taipei, Guam, Hong Kong-China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, UAE, and Vietnam. Team Scores (After 36 Holes - Best two from three formats): Japan: 143, 135, 278; Vietnam: 143, 137, 280; New Zealand: 143, 137, 280. Individual Scores: Anh Minh (Vietnam): 71, 67, 138; Yamashita (Japan): 71, 67, 138; Bai (New Zealand): 70, 70, 140.
