July 15, 2004

ICHIHARA, Japan - Following a poor first round showing, Team USA won 12 of 15 matches to take a 21-15 lead after the second round of the 2004 Fuji Xerox USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship at the Taiheiyou Club Ichihara Course in Ichihara, Japan. Pepperdine senior All-American Michael Putnam won his second-round match to help the USA's cause.

Japan won the first match of the day - a 73-76 win by Yuta Ikeda over Nolan Martin - but the United States responded by claiming the next three matches. John Holmes - who shot the low round of the day for the Americans with a five-under-par 66 - won his match by seven strokes while J.J Jakovac recorded a 68-73 victory. Trent Erb claimed the third-straight win for the USA - 70-72 - by making the shot of the tournament. Holding a one-stroke lead after 17, Erb's second shot on the par 4 No. 18 landed on a burm 50 feet beyond the green. He chipped in his next shot for birdie and the win.

The Japanese won their second match of the day when Toru Nakajima downed Justin Smith, 67-72. Team USA won the final three men's matches, a seven-stroke victory by Jeff Overton (71-78), a 74-77 win by Peter Tomasulo and Putnam's 70-77 triumph against first-round standout Tatsunori Nukaga. Putnam's victory gave the US a 15-13 lead, its first of the competition.

Japan would tie come back and the event when Miki Saiki recorded a seven-under-par 65 to defeat Anna Grzebien. Kailin downs put the United States back in the lead for good with a 74-77 win and was followed by five-stroke victories from both Brooke Tull (74-79) and Charlotte Mayorkas (71-76).

The final round will tee off Friday at 8 a.m.

Second Round Results

United States 21, Japan 15

Yuta Ikeda, Japan defeats Nolan Martin, USA, 73-76
John Holmes, USA defeats Takamasa Yamamoto, Japan, 66-73
J.J. Jakovac, USA defeats Haruo Fujishima, Japan, 68-73
Trent Erb, USA defeats Yuji Ishikawa, Japan, 70-72
Toru Nakajima, Japan defeats Justin Smith, USA, 67-72
Jeff Overton, USA defeats Giteku Gon, Japan, 71-78
Peter Tomasulo, USA defeats Kunihiro kamii, Japan, 74-77
Michael Putnam, USA defeats Tatsunori Nukaga, Japan, 70-77
Miki Saiki, Japan defeats Anna Grzebien, USA, 65-77
Kailin Downs, USA defeats Chika Yamamoto, Japan, 74-77
Brooke Tull, USA defeats Chiharu Tsunekawa, Japan, 74-79
Charlotte Mayorkas, USA defeats Mao Kohyama, Japan, 71-76