- By Justin Falconer

Australia’s hopes of lifting the US Amateur trophy lie with Queenslander Jack Trent.

Four Aussies teed it up in the stroke play but only the 21-year-old from the Sunshine Coast has progressed to the match play stage after a testing two days at Bandon Dunes in Oregon.

Trent, a Senior at University of Nevada Las Vegas, backed up yesterday’s seven-birdie opening round with a 2-over 73 today to finish at 1-under through 36 holes.

He finished in a share of 30th on the leaderboard, most importantly progressing directly to tomorrow’s round of 64 and avoiding an 18-for-3 playoff for the final spots.

Trent made waves on the PGA Tour last year when he cracked the top 30 at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in his PGA Tour debut and made the cut in his Australian Open debut in November.

Perth’s Connor McKinney put up a brave fight on Tuesday with a 1-under 70 on the Bandon Trails course, the Joondalup member roaring out of the blocks with a bogey-free front nine 32.

But late bogeys on 14, 15 and 17 sunk his chances of progressing.

McKinney finished at 3-over overall to subsequently miss a spot in the playoff by one stroke.

South Australian Lachlan Barker’s week is also over, the Iowa State student grinding out a second-up even-par 71 that left the 21-year-old at 4-over overall and outside the top 100 on the standings.

Lukas Michel’s first week of a life-changing trip also didn’t go to plan.

The reigning US Mid-Amateur champion made five birdies on the Bandon Dunes course on Tuesday on his way to a frustrating 73.

Michel finished at 5-over through 36 holes but will already be looking ahead to an exciting stretch of golf.

The Victorian is in the US prepping for a start in the upcoming US Open at Winged Foot. Michel is also locked in for the Masters in November after last year’s historic victory.

At the top of the standings, American Wilson Furr shot a blistering second round 62, a new Bandon Trails course record, to rocket to 11-under and claim the stroke play medal by two.

Click here for the full leaderboard.