The Australian team is in contention, just two strokes behind the leaders, after the first round of the 33rd World Amateur Team Championship for the Eisenhower Cup at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

With the best two of three individual scores counting to the team score, Jeffrey Guan led the Australians with a four-under 68 to be equal fourth in the individual competition, while Karl Vilips was one shot further back in a share of 11th. Jack Buchanan’s 76 left him in equal 87th.

Guan’s round featured five birdies with his only bogey coming on the par-4 13th hole, the same hole that caused Vilips’ only dropped shot of the day.

Fueled by a pair of five-under 67s from 15-year-old Hugo Le Goff and world No.2 Gordon Sargent, France and the USA hold a one-stroke lead over The Netherlands heading into day two today.  

The field endured scoring temperatures on day one with the thermometer reaching 36 degrees with a heat index of 41 degrees. 

Twenty-five of the 36 teams finished under-par. 

Scores: https://www.igfgolf.org/watc/