Ireland finished a creditable 11th as the United States clinched the Eisenhower Trophy for the 15th time at Karuizawa 72 Golf East in Japan.

A sensational 64 by The Island's Gavin Moynihan and a 68 for Greystones' Paul Dunne have given Ireland a sporting chance of a clinching a best ever finish in the World Amateur Team Championship in Japan.

Ireland might have slipped eight shots off the pace at the halfway stage of the World Amateur Team Championship but they still have high hopes of making a third round charge at the Eisenhower Trophy in Japan.

Ireland are just three strokes behind a trio of co-leaders after the first round of the World Amateur Team Championship for the Eisenhower Trophy in Japan.

Three Irishmen have lifted the Eisenhower Trophy with GB&I while no Irish women have yet managed to win the Espirito Santo Trophy. In 2018 six top Irish players will have the chance to make history when Ireland hosts the World Amateur Team Championships for the first time.

I've no idea how much fun a 787-yard, par-6 is to play but disbelief was the over-riding emotion coming through in tweets from Paul Dunne and Gavin Moynihan ahead of the World Amateur Team Championships in Japan.

Ireland's trio of Paula Grant, Maria Dunne and Mary Doyle have been drawn with Chinese Taipei and Norway the World Amateur Team Championships, which start in Japan on Wednesday.