Golf: Kiwis off the pace in Illinois

NZ golfers Mathew Perry (pictured) and Fraser Wilkin are off the pace after round one of the Western Amateur Championship at the Exmoor Country Club in Illinois overnight (NZT). Photo / Getty Images.

New Zealand golfers Mathew Perry and Fraser Wilkin are off the pace after round one of the Western Amateur Championship at the Exmoor Country Club in Illinois overnight (NZT)

Royal Auckland's Wilkin, who won the Muriwai Open on the Charles Tour in May, carded a six-over par 78 to be in a share of 128th place.

Wilkin had one birdie, five bogeys and a double bogey and will begin round two 11 shots back from the American leader Curtis Thompson who fired a five-under par 67 to lead by one.

Perry, who was recently named in the New Zealand team to contest the Eisenhower Worlds Amateur Team Championship alongside Ben Campbell and Vaughan McCall, also had a day to forget.

The former New Zealand amateur champion signed for a nine-over par 81 to be in a share of 148th place.

Perry made two birdies, six bogeys, a triple bogey and a double bogey in his opening round that saw him 14 shots off the pace.

In 2008, New Zealand No.1 Danny Lee won both the Stroke Play and the Match Play of the Western Amateur on his way to becoming the first Kiwi to become world No.1 amateur.

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