The Australians, who began the day one stroke behind first-round leader Scotland, posted a 10-under 132 at the Mayakoba El Camaleon Golf Club. The team reached 19 under, which is one shot short of the WATC record established by the USA in 2012. West Australian Curtis Luck, the 2016 US Amateur champion, added a non-counting even-par 71. The best two scores from each country’s three-man team are used.

“The mindset was to be as competitive as we can,” said Australian captain Matt Cutler, whose team also equalled the lowest second round score in WATC history. “You talk about having an opportunity to win. If we play well, we have a chance to win, so that has been our focus.”

Endycott, who won this year’s prestigious Porter Cup in the US and was a quarterfinalist at the Australian Amateur, holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th to cap his team’s performance. He used an 8-iron to set up two of his six birdies at the 9th and 15th holes, but his play was propelled by a run of four consecutive birdies on his inward nine in the first round.

Cameron Davis chips from rough during the second round. PHOTO: Steven Gibbons/USGA.

“That was a huge confidence booster,” Endycott said. “Yesterday things weren’t going my way early on. I just wasn’t hitting good shots, and I was struggling to get feels. Making a few good putts from good positions says you can go do this.”

Davis, who finished second in both the Asia-Pacific Amateur and Australian Amateur last year, recorded seven birdies on his scorecard for the second consecutive day. He birdied the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th holes before the turn and has the best 36-hole individual score at 10 under after opening with a 67 on the iberostar Playa Paraiso course.

“We are full of confidence,” Endycott added. “We all believe in the three of us. As long we keep building that momentum like we are doing at the moment, it is going to be a good week.”

Maverick McNealy, who won the 2016 Mark H. McCormack Medal as the top-ranked amateur player, reeled off five consecutive birdies on his inward nine at Iberostar to advance the USA into second place at 11-under 275. McNealy, a first-team All-American at Stanford University, and Scottie Scheffler, a junior at the University of Texas, each carded three under 69s. Scheffler also closed well with birdies on three of his last five holes.

All smiles from Curtis Luck during the second round. PHOTO: Steven Gibbons/USGA.

“We had a nice finish with Maverick making five in a row on the back nine, and we’re very pleased,” US captain Paul Caruso said. “There was a little bit of weather and wind at the start, but once it calmed down, we played good golf.”

Switzerland moved into third at 10 under 276 with an array of closing birdies and an eagle at Mayakoba.

Scotland, the first-round leader, struggled to a two over 144. Robert MacIntyre, the runner-up at this year’s Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl, had an even par 71, while Grant Forrest added a 73.

“It was one of those days where it couldn’t have gone much worse,” Forrest said. “It’s just what happens sometimes, and you have a tough time when the putts don’t go in.”

Australia is well poised heading into the third round to win the Eisenhower Trophy for the first time since 1996.