KOHALA COAST, Hawaii — Having tied his collegiate best on Thursday, Jay Leng led the way for Stanford with another 7-under performance as the Cardinal wrapped up the second round at the 35th Amer Ari Invitational on Friday. Stanford currently sits in second overall and only three shots off the tournament lead heading into Saturday’s final round.
Jay Leng followed up his first round performance on Thursday with an identical 7-under, 65 card that saw him jump up the overall leaderboard. Leng started the morning wave perfect through the first 10 holes of the day, amassing five of his nine birdies along the North Course’s back nine. The Stanford junior then earned three more birdies before consecutive bogeys set him back entering his final two holes of the day. However, Leng got back on track with a birdie on the par-five seventh hole before hitting par on his final hole of the day to earn his 14th round in the 60s in his collegiate career and slotting in fourth overall heading into Saturday’s final round.
Turning in his 10th collegiate round in the 60s, Nathan Wang earned a 4-under, 68 on the afternoon, rattling off a bogey-free second round to slot into 10th overall heading into Saturday. Wang snatched birdies on holes 15 and 18 along the back nine before hitting a favorable early stretch on the front nine with birdies on holes two and four to push the Cardinal into team title contention.
Edan Cui had a turnaround afternoon with a 4-under, 68 on Friday, increasing his placement up the leaderboard through two rounds. Cui claimed an early birdie on the morning before tallying up four more along the course’s back nine, hitting the turn at 3-under. Cui then held serve for the majority of the front nine before finishing the final wave of the afternoon with his sixth birdie of the day on hole seven to conclude the afternoon. Cui currently sits tied for 33rd overall with one round left.
Dean Greyserman also shot well on the day for Stanford to end the afternoon under par. Greyserman, who rattled off a career-best 8-under on Thursday, earned two birdies and an eagle through his first eight holes of the day before he hit his first bogey - and only second of the tournament - on hole 18. The senior then did well to dispel trouble following a bogey on hole four to claim a 2-under, 70 on Friday. Greyserman currently sits in 12th place at 10-under par.
TK Chantananuwat served as Stanford’s reserve score on Friday, firing a 1-under, 71 card to enter into Saturday’s final round at 6-under and in a tie with Cui for 33rd overall. Chantananuwat had a strong start with a birdie on his first hole of the day before a string of three bogeys in four holes put the sophomore back above par for the day. However, Chantananuwat was clinical along the North Course’s front nine, earning three birdies - including on his final two holes of the day - to finish at 1-under for the round.
Kush Arora also shot well following Thursday’s opening round. Serving as Stanford’s individual entry for the tournament, Arora turned in a 3-under, 69 in his second round of tournament action this season with seven birdies on the afternoon. Arora currently sits in 64th overall having jumped 28 places on Friday shooting 2-under for the tournament.
Stanford sets its sights on its first tournament win since spring 2024 as it tees off from Mauna Lani on Saturday for the third round of the 35th Amer Ari Invitational at 9:30 a.m. PT / 7:30 a.m. local.