DUBAI – A day after a three-way tie opened play at the 16th Asia-Pacific Amateur hosted at Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course, three players again tied for the lead at the midway point of the Championship. Japan’s Rintaro Nakano, first-round co-leader Khanh Hung Le of Vietnam, and Australia’s Harry Takis will enter the weekend at 11-under. The winner will receive an invitation to the 90th Masters Tournament next April and the 154th Open Championship.

One year after finishing two strokes shy of victory last year in his home country, Nakano closed with a birdie at the par-5 18th to reach 11 under.

“Yeah, I didn't play well on the front nine and started to feel a bit uneasy,” said Nakano, who is hoping to follow in the footsteps of former Japanese Asia-Pacific Amateur champions Hideki Matsu

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