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Two-time Australian Open winner Greg Chalmers fired seven birdies to take the lead in the tournament with world number one Rory McIlroy and Australian golfer Adam Scott poised to swoop after Friday's second round in Sydney.
The Australian left-hander, who won his national open in 1998 and 2011, swept to the front with two birdies in his final four holes at The Australian course to finish at five-under 66.
Dallas-based Chalmers, at five-under 137, held a one-shot lead over McIlroy, Australians Adam Crawford and Todd Sinnott and American Conrad Schindler heading into the weekend rounds, Sport24 reported.
Players sported black ribbons during Friday's second round in respect for Test cricketer Phillip Hughes, who died Thursday after being knocked unconscious by a ball in a domestic game in Sydney on Tuesday.
Chalmers said that he is really pleased, seven birdies, a couple of bogeys, but added that it's very early to be thinking about what's going to happen on Sunday night, considering who's right behind him and playing well.
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World number one McIlroy had a rollercoaster round containing an eagle, six birdies, six bogeys and just one par on the homeward nine holes, but is well placed at the halfway stage to defend his title.
The Northern Irishman overhauled Scott with a birdie at the final hole to win last year's tournament at Royal Sydney in what was his only 2013 tournament success. He said that he felt like he had an opportunity to shoot a good one and put a little bit of space between himself and the rest of the field, but added that it didn't really turn out that way.
McIlroy admitted that he was happy with how he finished, adding that he picked up shots in four of the last five holes and he is still in a good position heading into Saturday.
Scott bounced back with a five-under 66 in the morning groups to lie joint ninth on two-under and three shots off the lead. The world number three recovered from a shaky three-over 74 in the opening round to grab an eagle and three birdies in an unblemished second round.
Scott said that he got off to a bad start on Thursday, in the wind it was tricky and he didn't scramble when he had to early in the round and it was slipping away from him. He added that it didn't start much better on Friday, adding that he was scrambling, but scrambled well, and then all of sudden he made eagle at 14 and momentum was on his side then.
