KEY POINTS:
North Harbour professional Michael Hendry hopes his second successive five-under 65 will be the foundation for his breakthrough in the Tauranga Open.
Hendry is on 10-under 130 after two rounds, again taking advantage of idyllic conditions in the opening $40,000 tournament of the new Charles Tour.
He has a three-shot lead over NZPGA order of merit leader Grant Moorhead who managed a superb four-under 66 yesterday.
First round joint leader Kevin Chun is alone in third place one shot back on six-under after a one-under 69 yesterday.
Three players share fourth place on five-under including the 2006 Tauranga Open winner Josh Geary (Tauranga) who managed a three-under 67 yesterday, fellow professional Brad Shilton (Te Awamutu), who fired the joint low round of 66 and leading amateur Leighton James (Auckland).
The top 10 is rounded out by six players on three-under consisting of the 2003 NZ Open champion Mahal Pearce, the Whangarei pair of Dale Clarke and Gary John Hill, Arrowtown's Sean Roach and national rep Jared Pender, the leading local player.
The leading female is 13-year-old Pakuranga player Cecilia Cho, who shot a three-over 74 to finish on three-over 145 and is the only woman to make the cut.
Hendry has enjoyed consistent form in his fledgling professional career.
"I feel like I have been pretty consistent over the last couple of years but I have not quite made the breakthrough. Let's hope that this is the start towards it," Hendry said. "I played pretty well again today and the round was a lot like yesterday. I made seven birdies today but in both rounds I made mistakes though."
Hendry says he is building towards another campaign in the US this year.
Moorhead moved into contention with his 66, making his move mid-round with an eagle and two birdies in a three holes to ensure he will again be a real factor on the weekend. Chun started slowly with a double bogey at the easiest hole on the course, the par-3 12th before fighting back for a one-under 69.
It was much the same for the Canadian PGA-based Geary who managed three birdies in four holes but otherwise had no fortunes on the greens at Tauranga, which is set-up with more punitive rough than in previous years. Shilton had five birdies and one blemish as he sets himself up for his best finish as a professional on home turf.
James (The Grange) followed his fine 66 on the first day with a steady one-under 69 after moving to two-under mid-round.
Tauranga's Pender who started slowly to be one-under at the turn but mixed four birdies with one dropped shot coming home to reinforce his claims. Pearce gave two shots back late in his round to be seven shots off the lead.
Sixty-three players made the cut of 145 for the weekend.
