Former champion, club member and The Australian Golf Club specialist Matt Jones will take a one-stroke buffer into moving day having surged into the outright lead with a sizzling second six-under-par 65.

Triumphant on his home track in 2015 and runner-up in 2017, Jones leads English World No.14 Paul Casey (65) - the highest-ranked player in the field - and NSW’s Dimi Papadatos (66) by a shot.

Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open Champion, headlines five players one shot further back at eight under.

Matt Jones scambles from the rough during the second round. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Jones has been a member of the Kensington club since his mid-teens and knows every inch of the Jack Nicklaus design.

The fast-playing Sutherland shire native, who is now based in Arizona, says he will draw on that knowledge and his red-hot results in the past two Opens at The Australian.

SECOND ROUND LEADERBOARD

"I've finished second and first here, so I should feel pretty comfortable," Jones said.

"Knowing where to miss on a golf course is very important to me. I know the types of (chip) shots you need in certain areas if you do miss a green.

"I've got a lot of experience around here and I'm going to have to use that the next two days."

England's Paul Casey fired a superb six under 65 to trail Jones by one stroke. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Casey, who won on the US PGA Tour and European circuit this year, is relishing being in contention yet again.

"(I started the Open) sort of bumbling around, just a couple under par, to challenging for lead, so it's good stuff," he said.

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American Cameron Tringale also collected seven birdies in a 65 to be among those at eight under with exciting young Queenslander Shae Wools-Cobb.

Among the big-name Australians, Marc Leishman (67) is well in contention at six under while Cameron Smith (72) made the cut by one shot despite carding a triple-bogey six at the par-3 11th.

Dimi Papadatos escapes the rough on the 5th hole en route to a five under 66. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Adam Scott (67) was the biggest shock, the pre-tournament favourite's even-par total handing him his first ever missed cut at the Australian Open as a professional.

Other big names to miss the cut included Spanish former Masters champion Sergio Garcia (two over), four-time major winner and Presidents Cup skipper of the International team, Ernie Els (seven over).

Seven amateurs made the cut, led by Japan's Takumi Kanaya (eight under), Chinese Taipei’s Chun-An Yu and Victorian Lukas Michel, the US Mid-Amateur Champion, (both seven under).

– Evin Priest & Darren Walton (Australian Associated Press)