Cripps shot a course-record 7-under-par 63 at Wollongong Golf Club on Tuesday to take the lead in the NSW Open qualifying series event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series schedule.

He’s only a shot clear on a jam-packed leaderboard that features a swag of fancied players, including Jeffrey Guan fresh off a plane from San Francisco after his PGA TOUR debut.

But they’ll all have to run down Cripps when he puts a dazzling new combination of skills to the test as he chases his first professional victory.

“I haven’t had the chance to see my coach John Serhan for a while, so yesterday I went to St Michaels and worked on my putting with him for two hours and today everything just felt so much better,” Cripps said.

“I went to cross-hand putting from conventional and with my eyes over the ball, I suddenly had speed control.

“I’ve been playing really well, but haven’t been able to make a putt, so that was very exciting today.”

Cripps actually began his record round with a bogey on the gettable par-5 first hole.

But with the soothing words of Marcus Fraser, Matt Millar, Steven Jeffress and PGA of Australia staff member Pete Welden in his ears, nothing could rattle Cripps.

“They all tell me to slow down. I’ve got ADHD, so I’m 100 miles an hour all the time,” he added.

“But when I had that bogey to start, I was strangely really calm.

“I made a three on the second, a good three on the third and then drove it on the front of the (par-4) fourth and it just went from there.

“I played with `Frase’ at Coffs (Harbour) recently and he’s been giving me tips, slowing me down and just getting me to breathe.

“He says the more you slow your body down, your swing will slow down too.

“Timing is huge for me – if it’s out I’m generally hitting it off the planet.

“So today I didn’t get nervous all day, which is a big thing for me.”

Cripps’ 63 was his equal best score as a pro and his first course record away from his Cronulla base.

“That’s pretty special to me – especially because I love it around here, too.”

In fact, there’s a strong “local” presence on the leaderboard with Picton’s Justin Warren alongside Concord amateur Blake Phillips at 64.

They’ll be joined in Wednesday’s final group by Coffs Harbour’s Amelia Mehmet-Grohn, the leading woman in the field and the first in at 65.

The second-last group will feature Links Shell Cove amateur Colin Mitchell, Wollongong pro Jordan Zunic, Queenslander Dylan Gardner and rising Sydney star Guan, whose plane from the United States only landed at 7.30am Tuesday morning.

“I just went home, took a shower, threw on these clothes and then drove down about an hour-and-a-half,” he said.

“The body feels surprisingly good. I’m pretty happy to have 65, especially in the afternoon around here.”

Aside from Zunic, who won two Wollongong Opens here as a young amateur and has gone on to win three times on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, it’s testament to the youth in the field that Warren is among the most experienced of the chasing pack.

“I’m 29 in a couple of weeks, so I’ve been out here a few years now and it’s kind of scary to say, but with that comes a lot of experience,” said Warren, who’s loving sleeping in his own bed and commuting to Wollongong.

“I’ve had some good ones and some really bad ones, but in any event, no matter what it is, the goal’s to win and from the last couple of groups tomorrow, I’m in a position to do that.

“I have been in this position quite a few times – I won’t say I know what to expect and obviously there’s going to be a few little nerves out there trying to get a win, but being able to manage those is critical and managing your game to give yourself the best shot.”

Warren kickstarted his round with a sensational eagle on the first hole when he rifled a 4-iron uphill from 213 metres to three metres behind the hole and rolled in the putt.

Phillips celebrated his 22nd birthday with a bogey-free 6-under round.

“I’ve played a couple of pro events now and know how it goes and I don’t feel too different from the pros,” said Phillips, who played alongside Warren and Zunic in the day’s hottest group.

“We fed off each other and it was pretty good golf.”

There are plenty of chances for another story in Wednesday’s final round, though, with 24 players at 3-under or better.