The 20-year-old Porter, from Peregian Beach, provided the highlight of Friday's play with a superb, course record 64 (-9) on the Creek course at 13th Beach in perfect conditions.

Her round included two eagles – at the fifth where she holed out with a wedge, and the par-5 18th – and her 64 followed an opening 66. At 15-under she is five shots ahead of the field, despite having had the daunting prospect of playing in the same group at legends Karrie Webb and Jiyai Shin on the opening two days.

“A lot of things went right,” said Porter, who also made six birdies and a bogey on the day. “I stuck to my game plan today and it came off. You’ve got to take it when it comes, because it doesn’t come very often.”

Meanwhile the scoring on the men's side of the tournament has been remarkable, with Hendry conjuring a 10-under 62 on the Creek course today to leap to a two-shot lead.

Kiwi veteran Michael Hendry leads the men's field. PHOTO: Australian Golf Media.

The New Zealander had 10 birdies and no blemishes, overtaking the first-round leader Ryan Ruffels who was still in contention until the par-5 18th, where he hit two balls into the penalty area down the left and made a quadruple bogey nine.

Queensland-based Victorian Deyen Lawson is closest to Hendry, two shots back.

The players all head to the Beach Course for the final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday.

The weekend will also feature the Victorian Inclusive Championship and the Australian Wheelchair Golf Championship, which will have more competitors than ever this weekend with 47 players.