Abraham Ancer shot a 5-under 67 in the second round on Saturday to pull into a three-way tie on top of Liv Golf Adelaide in Australia.
Ancer carded six birds against a bogey at Blustery The Grange Golf Club to join Mexican Carlos Ortiz and England’s Sam Horsfield at 9-under 135 for the tournament.
Ortiz, who gathered five birds and a bogey, and ancer represented Mexico in the Olympics and were fire balls GC teammates until the last joined the Torque GC before last season.
The two said they will not let their friendship get in the way on Sunday in the third and final round.
“Hopefully tomorrow will be a big struggle that we will enjoy,” said Ancer. “But I can’t worry about it. I just have to focus on my game, and as I said, we will see where we end up at the end.”
Said Ortiz it will be just a game of golf. I think we have played pretty much together, and I heard him just talk; when you go out there, shoot the best you can, and you hope it’s good enough to win.
Horsfield birded his last hole to end with a 69 on Saturday.
He was also encouraged by the perception of his team, Majesticks GC, which produced a podium finish for the first time since Liv Golf Boston in 2022.
“Yes, my memory doesn’t go that far,” he said.
Back to the present, Majesticks GC shot an 8-day on Saturday to sit on the 10-day tournament, one-team ahead of both Fireball’s GC and Legion XIII.
“I call them cunning veterans,” Horfield said about his teammates, England’s Ian Poulter (70 on Saturday) and Lee Westwood (70) and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson (71).
“They have been around the neighborhood a few times, and they know how to do it. I think they are really, really excited. I can feel that my phone is vibrating in my back pocket, so I’m sure it’s them in a group chat . ”
Torque captain Joaquin Niemann from Chile shot a 71 in the second round to fall to fourth place on 6-under, one stroke ahead of Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm (69). Rahm, from Spain, covered his round with birds on each of his last two holes, including a sensational chip-in from the bunker.
Spaniard David Puig (70), Brooks Koepka (71) and Stenson resides in a three-way tie for sixth place in 4-under.
The defending champion Brendan Steele from Hyflyers GC shot a 70 on Saturday to move from a tie for 48th to a draw for the 29th.
-Field level media
