Former Kent State men’s golfers Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith are having quite the tournament for Canada in the World Amateur Team Championship.

Last year’s Mid-American Conference Golfers of the Year teamed up for the tournament held in Karuizawa, Japan, at the par 72 Golf East’s Iriyama Course on Wednesday and have the lead in the first round.

The Ontario native duo posted a combined score of 134, shooting 10-under-par. Conners swung the club well in the first round and finished his round with a score of 6-under-par. Pendrith shot a 68 at 4-under-par. He nearly missed the cut in the play-three-count-two format, shooting one stroke better than his other Canadian teammate, Adam Svensson.

“We’re not going to try to do anything crazy,” Conners said in an interview Wednesday with the Associated Press. “We’re just going to stick to our game plan and try to play to our strengths.”

Canada currently has a share of the lead with Sweden and Switzerland.

Kent State men’s golf coach Herb Page coached Conners and Pendrith last year and said he sent them a text message wishing them well.

“I texted them both last night,” Page said. “I texted them, ‘Go Canada, you can do it and play well.’”

Page, a fellow Ontario native, said the former Kent State standout golfers are “TV players,” and he was not at all surprised by their success in the tournament. He said he is proud of Conners and Pendrith and glad they are representing the Canadian golf team.

“What a great honor for a university to have those guys playing there — yet for me, as a Canadian and having coached them for four years, it is awesome that they are representing their country in this way.”

Canada will play host this Thursday at the Oshitate Course on the second of two courses.

Contact Ray Strickland at [email protected].