BLUFFTON, S.C. On a day when low scores were hard to come by, Australian Daniel Nisbet posted a 6-under-par 66 on the South Course at Berkeley Hall Club to take a three-shot lead at the midway point of the 13th annual Players Amateur.
Nisbet is at 9-under-par 135, three shots ahead of Florida State’s Daniel Berger and four shots clear of first-round leader Bobby Wyatt of Alabama and Michael Weaver of Cal.
Many players credited difficult pin placements for tougher scoring conditions in Friday’s second round, but Nisbet was still able to take advantage. After making two birdies and two bogeys in his first five holes, he birdied six of his last 13 holes to take a commanding lead. Only two other golfers shot under 70 in the second round. Ben Campbell and Andrew Yun both shot 3-under par 69.
Berger, who began the day one shot behind Wyatt, struggled to make up ground early on. He dropped to 2-over for the day after a double-bogey at the par-5 12th but made three birdies in his last six holes to get back into contention.
Weaver charged out early and got to 7-under with a birdie at the par-3 11th, but he faltered coming in with three bogeys in his final seven holes.
Wyatt also had an inconsistent day, beginning with a double-bogey at the par-4 second hole, and he was 3-over for the day before salvaging the round with an eagle at the par-5 17th to move back within striking distance of the lead.
NOTES: The field will be cut to the low 48 players and ties after Saturday’s third round. Cameron Wilson withdrew before the start of the second round with an injury. Cody Proveaux and Matthew NeSmith lead the contingent of players with South Carolina ties at 1-under-par. Among players with local ties, former University of South Carolina Beaufort golfer Luke McClellan leads the way at 6-over, followed by Bluffton resident Mike Balzer at 7-over and Beaufort’s Rob Simmons at 8-over.