It's not quite his home ground, but Gordon Claney's "local" knowledge shone today as he took a one-shot lead with a round to play of the Australian Men's Senior Amateur Championship.
Claney, the 2014 champion and a member at Kingston Heath just up the road from host Spring Valley, used his experience in the gusty Melbourne conditions to kick clear.
Claney defied the testing conditions around the four-time Victorian Open host course to shoot 15 pars and three bogeys en route to the 36-hole lead after rounds of 72-74 that left him at four over.
Defending champion Greg Rhodes, also of Victoria, and recently crowned Australian team member Ken Brewer, of New South Wales, are tied for second just one stroke back.
Brewer’s two over par 73 was the best round of the second day.
Overnight leaders Ian Frost (Qld) and James Lavender (Vic) both struggled today returning scores of 78 to leave them four shots back and alongside Mark Pearson (NSW) and Geoff Charnley (Vic) in a share of fourth at eight over.
West Australian Michael Lucas and Victorian pair Andrew Davis and Douglas Francis are also still in the mix at nine over.
The Victorian team of Rhodes, Charnley, John Kelly and Ian McCleary lead the state teams event played in conjunction, with NSW second, five strokes adrift.
The third and final round will be played tomorrow.
The Australian Men’s Senior Amateur Championship has been played since 1981 and is for players aged 55 years and older.