A past winner of the adidas Australian Amateur Championship and already with a spot at the Ford NSW Open in November secured, Halls got off to a blistering start to the second round, having shared the overnight lead with Lachlan Aylen.

One behind Aylen after the Victorian birdied the first, Halls took control by rattling off a hat-trick of birdies starting at the second hole as the Ulladulla product appeared, outwardly at least, to be maintaining his composure as he chased a first win in the play-for-pay ranks.

“The start definitely helped… it was really good day out there. Pretty proud of the way I hung in there when things weren’t going my way and had a good finish, which helped a lot,” Halls said after the round.

With Aylen continually hitting quality golf shots but unable to convert on the Catalina Old Course greens, Halls stretched his advantage to three shots with birdie at the par-5 sixth to reach 11-under after finding the trees with his second shot.

A pulled drive two holes later at the par-4 eighth from 21-year-old Halls gave the chasing pack hope as James Grierson steadily went about his business to find himself in contention in a rare tournament start away from his primary job as Teaching Professional at Terrey Hills Golf and Country Club.

Riley Taylor, playing in the group ahead of Halls, Aylen, Grierson and Reece Black, also throwing his hat in the ring on the back of an eagle and two birdies across the front nine.

Halls would drop just his second shot of the tournament at the eighth as a host of players pulled into contention, with Aylen finally finding his second birdie of the day at the 11th, with another coming a hole later, Halls rising to the challenge with a birdie of his own early in the back nine.

Looking unflappable and maintaining his game face in response to both good and bad shots, Halls looked to be giving no help to those trying to run him down before the Mollymook Golf Club member received a cruel turn of bad luck.

Striking what appeared to be one of his best approaches of the day at the par-4 13th, the ball caromed off the flag and led to a three-putt, and another dropped shot as Grierson emerged the most likely challenger when birdieing the 15th to draw level with Halls.

Impressively saving pars despite misdirected drives, Grierson found himself a shot in arrears to Halls after the rookie pro two-putted the par-5 16th to return to 11-under with two holes to play.

Painting a relaxed figure as he played the final two holes, including a casual chat with Grierson on the final fairway when Halls revealed to his playing partner how close they were at the top of the leaderboard as amateur Harry Whitelock’s challenge ran out of holes.

Halls making par after Grierson’s birdie attempt rolled by the hole, with Halls’ 11-under total good enough for a one-shot advantage over Grierson and Taylor, with Whitelock, Blake Windred and Nathan Page a shot further back.

“I just stuck to my process, everyone’s going to hit a bad shot here and there, so just have to deal with it and move on,” Halls said reflecting on the final day.

“I was pretty close at Southwest Rocks in the end. I was pretty nervous trying to secure that spot, so it was good today, just to go out there and play freely.”

Despite falling just short of victory, Grierson will head back to Sydney with a spot at the Ford NSW Open in his possession, so will Whitelock and Taylor, who closed with two birdies.

James Grierson, Riley Taylor and Harry Whitelock are all headed to The Vintage for the Ford NSW Open in November.

“That was pretty cool,” Grierson said after his close call.

“Obviously for any New South Welshman to play their state Open at The Vintage with a nice purse is awesome. I actually qualified for club pros, so I’ve got to pull out of that one now. I’m very happy, probably unexpected, but that’s awesome.”

Whitelock again impressing in a professional event as he develops his game, with a local start of his own upcoming when the Ford NSW Open Regional Qualifying Series concludes at the end of the month in Queanbeyan.

“It’s pretty cool,” Whitelock said of heading to The Vintage.

“Played last year and it’s one of the big goals, written up on my window at home to get back there this year. So pretty stoked.

“I was pretty close at Southwest Rocks in the end. I was pretty nervous trying to secure that spot, so it was good today, just to go out there and play freely.” - Jye Halls.

“I’ve grown up around good players and professionals for a long time. My dad was a professional, so they’re just human beings at the end of the day, and it’s a lot of fun to test myself against them.”

Halls also set to tee it up in the nation’s capital, as well as next week at the World Sand Greens Championship, but after he celebrates at his parents’ house with friends and family.

“I have a lot of friends just messaging me now, so I dare say they’ll be coming over and having a few beers,” Halls said of his Friday evening plans.