Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz tame windy Wells Fargo

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Wind swirled, balls went in the water, and teeth gnashed.

Round two at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club on Friday brought brutally difficult conditions for the afternoon starters, who struggled mightily.

With a few exceptions.

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Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz and Abraham Ancer, prospective members of the 2022 International Presidents Cup Team that will take on the U.S. at Quail Hollow, shot 68 and 70, respectively. At 4 under (Ortiz) and 3 under (Ancer) overall, they’re right behind the trio of leaders at 6 under.

It was good news for them and good news for 2022 International Captain Trevor Immelman, who hosted a team dinner for prospective team members here earlier this week.

“A lot,” Ortiz said, when asked how encouraged he was by his performance at Quail. “You know, Trevor talked a lot to us, and it was pretty inspiring the way he talked and definitely pumped me up. It's something I'm really looking forward to playing. I mean, I think playing good on this golf course helps.”

Ortiz jarred his bunker shot at the first hole, birdied three of his first four, and offset two back-nine bogeys with two birdies. He’s in a five-way tie for fifth in a group that also includes, among others, two-time Wells Fargo winner Rory McIlroy (66).

Ancer, who is part of a four-way tie for 10th through 36 holes, also won the 2018 Australian Open in windy conditions. Like Ortiz, he lives in Texas and is no stranger to wind, but said the conditions at Quail on Friday afternoon might have been even tougher than they were in Australia.

“Yeah, it was I guess pretty similar, but this golf course, it's a lot harder with wind like this,” he said. “A lot more water, the rough is high. Over there you can definitely miss in some spots and work with the slopes, and here it's way, way harder to do that, to play with wind out here.

“It's very – almost no room for error, to be honest.”

As for the Presidents Cup, Ancer said he’s starting to think about it.

“It was nice to see the guys and have dinner with them and with Captain Trevor,” he said. “I know it's more than a year and a half from now, but we've still got to get ready and get some reps in here. It's always important, it's a big golf course and it's good to practice as much as you can.”