LONDON - Spearheaded by New Zealand strokeplay champion Sam Hunt, Rotorua Boys High School have swept to a five-shot lead in golf's world team championship for schools, in England.
In a sterling start to their title defence, Rotorua's players all fired at the Berkshire Golf Club.
Hunt and Matthew Holten topped the individual leaderboard with one-under rounds of 71.
Bradley Iles had a 74 as the trio combined for an even-par 216 on a course made up of the unusual combination of six par-threes, six par-fours and six par-fives.
After the first of two rounds, Rotorua and Australia's St Bede's College were well clear.
St Bede's were second on 221, with Millford School, of England, tied in third with Lycee Bellevue Toulouse, of France, on 238.
Hunt was one under or all square throughout a round that contained three birdies and two bogies.
He took the individual title in Ireland last year when Rotorua won the title by a huge 28 shots.
Holten had a more up-and-down day, slotting four birdies but having three bogies.
He levelled with Hunt by nailing two birdies and two pars in the last four holes.
Iles birdied the par-five first, then the par-three second, but undid himself with a double-bogey seven on the third. He dropped shots at the 16th and 17th to end with three birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey.
"It's a solid start," Iles said. "It was cold with lots of water in the air and the ball wasn't going as far as it should."
He said the organisers had altered the practice round rules from last year.
"We were allowed only one practice round on the course this year."
Based on handicaps, Rotorua do not have the strongest team at the championship - that is South Africa, who were seventh after the first round.
- NZPA
Golf: Rotorua on course for title
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