New Zealand's Cooper Moore, Ryan Xie in contention at Asia-Pacific Amateur

At the halfway point of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in New Zealand, defending champion Fifa Laopakdee retains his lead at seven under par. Cooper Moore and Ryan Xie are both within striking distance, sitting at five under and four under, respectively. Moore closed with a birdie on the 18th, while Xie managed to recover from early bogeys to remain in contention. The tournament continues as Moore and Xie aim to make history for New Zealand, which has yet to produce a champion since the event's inception in 2009. The next rounds are critical for all players as they vie for a prestigious invitation to the Masters and the Open Championship.

• 4:52 AMYahoo Sports — Searching for their country's first Asia-Pacific Am win, host Kiwis move into contention as defending champ leads