Following on from a four under 66 at Victoria Golf Club in the first round, Gale opened his second round in the best way possible with a birdie on the long par-4 1st hole of Peninsula Kingswood’s South Course.

The 27-year-old, who had never played the course before, immediately gave that shot back at the 2nd hole. But five birdies and an eagle over the next 10 holes saw Gale seize the tournament lead.

“Everything was pretty solid out there. Today was the first time I’d seen the course and I didn’t know what to expect,” said Gale, who won the Northern Territory PGA four months ago. “I had to figure out how to play it as we stepped up on every tee and just plotted around nicely. My motto was hit it where I could see it.

“It felt like I got on a bit of a roll midway through the round and you don’t really want to take your foot off the pedal.

“At the end of the day, every hole is a birdie hole, no matter where the pin is. I haven’t shot a course record before without having ever played the course. I just plotted along and got on a roll and tried to keep it going.

“You want to try and birdie every hole but my mindset is to attack course as best I can and see what happens.”

Daniel Gale plotting his way around the Peninsula Kingswood South Course on his way to a course record 64. PHOTO: Paul Shire.

Gale leads South Australia’s Lachlan Barker (67) by four strokes heading into the third round to be played at Yarra Yarra Golf Club. The final round will be played at Royal Melbourne on Thursday.

Bendigo teenager Jazy Roberts, who shared the lead after the opening round at Victoria Golf Club, looked like she might break away from the field early after three birdies in her first six holes to reach eight under for the tournament.

SANDBELT INVITATIONAL LEADERBOARD

But bogeys at the 9th and 10th, as well as a double bogey on the long par-4 13th took some momentum out of the 18-year-old’s round. Despite the setbacks, she finished with an even par 74 and remains at fiver through two rounds. She is six strokes adrift of Gale in the overall standings but leads the women’s amateur section by two shots from 16-year-old fellow Victorian, Ann Jang.

Earlier in the day, 2019 U.S Mid-Amateur Champion Lukas Michel posted a near flawless five under 66, with the only blot on the scorecard being a bogey on the 18th hole after failing to get up-and-down from a difficult lie in a greenside bunker.

Bendigo teenager Jazy Roberts in full flight during the second round. PHOTO: Paul Shire.

The 29-year-old, who has been working as a golf course design associate with the firm Mike Clayton, Mike DeVries and Frank Pont (CDP) for the past two years, admitted he hasn’t played much golf since contesting the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne back in October. He’s probably spent more time in the seat of a bulldozer than hitting golf balls.

“I haven’t been playing a lot of golf, so the short game is a little bit rusty,” Michel said.

“Ball-striking yesterday was pretty solid but one bad shot cost me, and I didn’t hole anything. Today was a lot better. Struck it really nice and got some to roll in.”

Michel is playing with no weight of expectation on his shoulders because playing “is not my full-time gig”.

“You always want to shoot the lowest score possible, whether you’re practicing once a week or five times a week. It’s still frustrating, but definitely a lot less pressure because I know it’s not my full-time gig now and I’m able to enjoy it a bit more,” Michel said.

“When these events come around it’s really good fun to spend some time and play some decent golf sometimes.”

In the men’s amateur event, Michel is two strokes behind Queensland’s Quinn Croker, who carded a second consecutive 68 to be five under at the halfway stage of the tournament.

In the women’s professional event, Sydneysider Robyn Choi has opened up a three-stroke lead after carding an even par 74.

Choi is no doubt fighting fatigue as she is only six days removed from earning her LPGA Tour card at the gruelling final stage of LPGA qualifying school in the United States.