Amer Ari: Two-horse race heading into final day

WAIKOLOA — Red ink was a valuable commodity for the scorekeepers at the Kings’ Course Clubhouse on Friday, as low scores came in a torrid pace during the second round of the Amer Ari Invitiational.

University of Southern California’s Rico Hoey led the way, turning in a tourney best round of 9-under par 63. The round was just a stroke off the tournament record and career-low. He helped USC slide to the top of the team leaderboard, swapping spots with Round 1 leader Texas Tech. The Trojans sit with a 36-hole total of 541 (-35), with the Red Raiders close behind at 542 (-34).

It will likely be a two-horse race in today’s final round for the tourney title, as the squads have opened a sizeable lead on the rest of the field. Stanford and Colorado are the next closest teams, both 19 strokes back of the Trojans. Defending national champion Oregon is in fifth at 15-under.

Despite falling a stroke off the lead, Texas Tech head coach Greg Sands came away very satisfied with his team’s performance.

“The guys have been playing very well, taking advantage of the course and getting birdies,” Sands said. “We have put ourselves in great position heading into the final day.”

Sands, who played in the Amer Ari during his days at TCU, is well-acquainted with the tournament and his Red Raiders look forward to the trip every year.

“This trip is always a lot of fun,” Sands said, mentioning that his team played most of the top courses on the west side of the island this week. “It took us a few years to be invited here, but we look forward to it every time.”

USC is seeking back-to-back team titles at the Amer Ari and a third overall. Texas Tech is looking for its first.

After the stellar day, Hoey’s 14-under total through two rounds has him in the driver’s seat for medalist honors. He is trying to become the first Trojan champion since Jeffery Kang accomplished the feat in 2012 with a playoff over now PGA superstar Jordan Spieth.

Hoey — a runner-up last year — holds a three-shot lead over a trio of players, including Texas Tech’s Fredrik Nilehn, who has carded rounds of 66 and 67 to get to 11-under. Others in the chase pack are Colorado’s Ethan Freeman and Thursday’s first round co-leader Kyle Suppa from USC, both at 11-under.

Stanford star and the top ranked amateur golfer in the world, Maverick McNealy, is also in contention. He carded a 6-under second round with nine birdies. It could have been even better if not for a double bogey on hole No. 8, his second to last hole of the day, but at 10-under through two rounds, he is certainly capable of making a run.

“I four-putted on No. 8 with a bit of a questionable pin location. I got unlucky there,” McNealy said. “I was able to bounce back with a birdie on the last hole, so that made me feel a little better.”

It’s McNealy’s fourth outing on the Big Island course, and while the low scores have come in bunches the past two rounds, he noted that it can present some challenges.

“This course is great and really tests all different parts of your game,” said McNealy, who is chasing a school-record 12th individual title. “It’s pretty cool in that it plays completely different depending on what part of the day you play it. The wind switches about half way through the round. I hit pitching wedge on a hole yesterday that I hit 6-iron on today. You really have to be on your toes.”

McNealy said it is his first big tournament since November, so he’s hoping the momentum keeps rolling into the final round.

“I’m still shaking off the competitive rust. The game feels really good right now and I feel like I’ve played better every day,” McNealy said. “I’m excited to get out there, get the juices flowing and hopefully put up another good round.”

For the host Vulcans, Jared Kinoshita was the top scorer in the second round with a three-under par 69. His two-day total of 1-over 145 leads the way.

All 21 teams will tee-off for the final round on at 7:30 a.m.