Amateur Schonewille leads Vic Open golf

Local amateur golfer Andrew Schonewille has upstaged the professionals to lead the Victorian Open after the second round at Thirteenth Beach Golf Links.

22-year-old Schonewille played a perfect round of golf on Friday, firing a bogey-free eight-under-par 64 for a two-round total of 11-under the card.

Playing on the creek course, the highlight of his round was five consecutive birdies to open the back nine.

Competing in a PGA Tour of Australasia tournament alongside some of Australia’s biggest names, Schonewille is sure to be nervous on the first tee on Saturday.

“I said on Tuesday when I came over … the players here, Peter Lonard, Richard Green and Nathan Green – it’s incredible how they get these names,” said Schonewille.

“But it’s fantastic to be where I am.

“I’ll be as nervous as hell on the first tee but, once I hit the first shot, it will be game on.”

Not to be upstaged, New South Welshman Mitchell Brown put on a masterclass firing a course record 9-under 63 on the creek layout.

“I haven’t putted that well for a while. It was just one of those days where you’re looking at it and it goes in,” said Brown.

“When I had a birdie on a hard hole, I seemed to have an easy hole the next so that kept the momentum going.”

Brown made his first bogey of the round on his final hole of the day, the untimely mistake dropping him back to a share of second with West Australian Jason Scrivener at 10-under the card.

Competing on the beach course, in the morning, Scrivener was one of three golfers to equal the tournament course record with an 8-under 64.

“I hit a lot of greens – it was pretty stress-free, really,” said Scrivener who has full status on the European Tour for 2015.

Also playing in the morning field and equalling the beach course record were Aaron Townsend and Matthew Millar who are tied fourth and sixth respectively.

While those players were hot, the man all eyes will be on is reigning Australian Masters champion Nick Cullen, who shot a six-under 66 and is just three strokes off the lead.

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