Backing up a two-under 68 in strong winds on Thursday, Leishman made the most of more benign conditions to post six-under 64 and eight-under through 36 holes, three back of Mexico’s Abraham Ancer.

Without a top-10 finish anywhere in the world in more than a year, Leishman is one stroke clear of fellow Australian Lucas Herbert as 10 of the 14 Aussies in the field progressed to the weekend.

Leishman had five birdies to go with his eagle in his round of six-under, finding the bottom of the cup with a perfectly executed gap wedge.

“Hit a 3-iron off the tee and then had perfect yardage with my gap wedge,” Leishman explained post-round.

“Hit a good shot, landed about a foot past it, a foot right of it, and spun back into the hole.

“They’re sort of unexpected, but it’s nice when they happen. Hopefully I can do more of that later on in the week.”

After an extended stay back home in Warrnambool, Leishman is refreshed and looking at a lighter schedule in 2023.

Starting with a good finish at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, he continues to harbour a strong desire to play his way into the majors.

“It’s looking like a good schedule. A little lighter this year than it has been in past years, playing LIV,” Leishman added.”

“A few little breaks in there, which will be nice. Obviously want to have a win this year, win one of the LIV events. It will be nice to get into the majors.

“First and foremost, I’d like to try to finish it off here this week.”

With momentum from his third-place finish in Dubai last week Herbert is again in contention after rounds of 68-65 to be tied for seventh.

Andrew Dodt and Matt Jones have both recorded successive rounds of two-under 68 to sit just inside the top 20 but it is a shortened start for Cam Smith’s 2023 campaign, missing the cut with rounds of 73-69.

Four dropped shots in the space of three holes on his back nine at Pebble Beach saw Aaron Baddeley (74) fall from the top five down to a tie for 21st at the AT&T Pro-Am, fellow Victorian Cameron Percy withdrawing before teeing it up in Round 2.

Gabi Ruffels continues to make a positive start in her debut event as a member of the Ladies European Tour.

A second round of two-under 71 at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open has Ruffels in a share of seventh and eight shots off the lead held by India’s Aditi Ashok.

Tied for 15th at one-under sees Brett Drewitt lead the Aussie charge at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Panama Championship and Kiwis Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier are both in a tie for 23rd after two rounds of the DP World Tour’s Ras al Khaimah Championship.