Golf: Great Day as Aussie gets wind in sails

Australia's Jason Day hits a shot from a fairway bunker on the 3rd hole during the second round of the Australian Open Golf tournament. Photo / AP

Australian star Jason Day has defied the afternoon winds to emerge as the hot Australian Open favourite.

Day is breathing down the neck of halfway leader Lucas Herbert after wowing fans with four-straight back-nine birdies yesterday en route to a second-round three-under-par 68.

The former world No1 climbed to eight under for the championship, just one behind Herbert, who capitalised on perfect morning scoring conditions with a sizzling 66. Ben Campbell was the leading Kiwi at three-under par after rounds of 67-72.

First-round leader Cameron Davis cooled off with a one-over 72 but remained right in the mix in third spot at seven under.

US PGA Tour stars Matt Jones, the 2015 champion, and Cameron Smith, runner-up last year to Jordan Spieth in a playoff, share fourth at four under after respective second rounds of 67 and 69 at The Australian in Sydney.

Former Australian Masters champion Nick Cullen (72) and veteran Richard Green (68) are also at four under and four off the pace.

Spieth, though, faces an uphill battle retaining the Stonehaven Cup after failing to make any inroads on the leaders. His second-round 71 leaves the world No2 and three-time major winner at one under and eight shots adrift of Herbert.

While Day is undoubtedly in the box seat heading into the weekend, Herbert, who famously slept in the Carnarvon Golf Club car park during Open qualifying three years ago then led after the first round last year at Royal Sydney, collected six birdies before dropping his only shot of the day at the last.

Having sharpened his shorter game this year, Herbert believes lessons from last year's Open, when he faded to finish tied 20th, will be a big help when he duels with Day on Saturday in the final group.

"I think more mentally than anything because, by Sunday afternoon, I was wrecked," Herbert said of how he was better prepared to go on with the job this time around.

"It takes so much out of you to be [around the lead]."