Golf · PGA Tour of Australasia · 2025-2026

Date & time

5 Mar 2026, 19:30

Round

19

Venue

Royal Auckland and Grange

Location

Auckland, New Zealand

The second round of the ISPS HANDA Japan-Australasia Championship at Royal Auckland & Grange Golf Club serves as a critical junction for the 156-man field. With the 36-hole cut looming, the strategic narrative focuses on the composite course’s notoriously "steep and slopy" greens, which became a major talking point after the opening round. Players must exercise extreme discipline to leave their approach shots in the correct quadrants to avoid treacherous three-putts, especially as the greens continue to firm up under the New Zealand sun. The storyline for Friday centers on whether the international leaders can separate themselves from a tightly bunched pack that saw 38 players within four shots of the lead on day one. For the local New Zealand favorites, including club member Nick Voke, the second round is an opportunity to leverage deep course knowledge as the tournament director likely "tucks the pins" into more challenging positions. With a two-year Japan Golf Tour exemption and significant Order of Merit points on the line, the pressure to secure a late-afternoon tee time for the weekend is immense.