But the Sydney professional is developing a love for the linsky Mornington Peninsula lay-outs, and he will sleep on the halfway lead at 11-under par after two superb rounds.

Hong, 26, shot a 5-under 66 today on the Legends course to go with his opening 66 on the Open course, and at 11-under he has opened up a lead of a shot from Queenslander Cory Crawford in the $250,000 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia event.

If he wins it would be his first on the tour and it would give him playing rights that he craves. As it stands, he is hanging out in Sydney and waiting for tour school to come around next year.Hong has been exceptional in what have been unusually benign conditions at Moonah, with light winds.

He played his first 34 holes of the tournament without a single bogey – a streak only broken when he dropped a shot at the par-4 17th today on the Legends.

He made a long birdie putt on the sixth, and chipped in for another on the seventh, and it was all a far cry from his early chapters as a touring pro, struggling on the PGA Tour Americas and the Canadian Tour.

“I feel like my game’s improved a lot since last year, but no one would really know because I haven’t had the opportunity to play and perform,” said Hong. “I’ve finally got an opportunity this week and I’m taking it.”

After six years of college golf in America, Hong turned pro and won a stage of tour school on the Canadian Tour, but he has lost all his playing rights, a situation that would be rectified by a win at Moonah this week. “It’s pretty much ‘win or go home’,” he said.

It has been a steep learning curve for Hong. “You’re travelling so much and just learning to be a pro. It’s still something I’m trying to get used to. I’ve got a couple of years of experience, and I’m just trying to learn as fast as I can. I’ll probably be back here for a year or so and then see if I can get back to America.”

Queenslander Crawford is the closest at 10-under after his 67 on the Legends course today. WA’s Brayden Becker, who holed out for an eagle from 112 metres on the par-4 eighth hole of the Legends, is outright third at 9-under, a shot ahead of a group that includes first-round leader Corey Lamb (71 today on the Open course).

Lamb was disappointed to tread water with the course playing “the easiest I’ve seen it”, but embellished his round by holing a 30-footer for birdie at the last. “It wasn’t a great day,” he said. “Got away with a birdie at the last to shoot 1-under.”

A double bogey 6 at the par-4 14th hole did not help, after his approach plugged in the front bunker and compounded the trouble with a three-putt.

The tournament favourite David Micheluzzi is at 3-under through two rounds after an even-par 71 on the Legends today.

The Victorian Amateur Challenge for teams is led at 20-under by Deyen Lawson and Phil Bannister.

PHOTO: Jason Hong on his way to a 66 on the Legends course today. Image: Daniel Pockett