- By Justin Falconer

The home ground advantage continued to be a factor on Friday morning as five Queenslanders progressed to the 2020 #AusAm’s Rd of 16.

Jed Morgan (6&5), Louis Dobbelaar (3&1) and Lawry Flynn (3&2) set the tone early for the hosts, before UNLV’s Jack Trent sealed a 2&1 win over Victorian Toby Walker.

17-year-old Elvis Smylie needed extra holes to join his fellow Maroons in the afternoon’s field, the rising star ramming home a 12-foot birdie try on the 19th hole to send Kiwi Mako Thompson home.

The reigning Australian Junior champion will take on WA’s Ryan Peake this afternoon.

Meanwhile, 1-seed Andre Lautee held off The Grange GC’s Jack Thompson 2&1 to continue his charge at the #AusAm title. He’ll take on Kiwi James Hydes this afternoon.

England’s Ben Jones, Matt Lamb and Charlie Strickland join German Jannik de Bruyn and Ireland’s Tom McKibbin as the only other internationals still standing in Brisbane.

Strickland ended the week of 2019 runner-up Nathan Barbieri, leaving Conor Whitelock as the lone New South Welshman in the field.

Queensland’s Tyler Duncan threatened to be the sixth local to progress, but Harry Bolton of the ACT ended his run at the #AusAm crown on the 19th hole.

The women’s Rd of 16 gets under way from midday with NSW stars Doey Choi and Steph Kyriacou going head-to-head in a blockbuster clash.

In the afternoon’s other intriguing clash, WA young gun Kirsten Rudgeley takes on pre-tournament fancy Cassie Porter of the Sunshine Coast.