Rhein Gibson has made a mockery of poor conditions at Royal Pines and stormed up the Australian PGA Championship leaderboard with a spectacular 64.
Gibson, newly promoted to the US PGA Tour, opened the tournament with a lacklustre 79 and might have feared worse was to come after opening with a pair of bogeys this morning.
But, the Oklahoma-based New South Welshman is made of sterner stuff and set about a withering run to charge back into contention.
His eight-under-par round was enough to put him back into red figures at one under and, when he finished his round, just one behind the leaders, in a tie for fourth.
Gibson, who owns the recognised world-record low score of 55, made birdies on the third and fourth holes to square the ship today, but gave another stroke away on the fifth.
But an eagle on the par-five ninth kick-started his incredible charge up the leaderboard.
The Bendigo-born star added five more birdies an eagle on the recently renovated back nine, coming home in 29.
Overnight leader Zander Lombard made a triple-bogey on the par-four 13th hole en route to a 75 that left him two under and tied for the lead after the morning phase with England’s Mark Foster (73) and South African Dylan Frittelli, who plays this afternoon.
Ash Hall, like Gibson, began 2015 as a Web.com Tour player but now is without an international card, was the polar opposite.
The affable Victorian carded a workmanlike round with just one birdie in his 73 to briefly hit the top before finishing at one under with two bogeys.
Todd Sinnott also briefly held the lead at three under, but two bogeys on the front nine, his second, left the tall Victorian alongside Gibson and in-form West Australian Jason Scrivener at one under.
Other great rounds in tough conditions again this morning came from Golf Australia rookie squadmates Cameron Smith (69 to be three over) and Nathan Holman (68 to be one over).
The marquee group of Brandt Snedeker (+12), John Senden (+1) and Peter Uihlein (+3) have just begun their second rounds.