Wood, 30, lodged a colourful scorecard today which included nine birdies and an eagle to be twelve-under for the tournament – one stroke clear of playing partner and fellow Queenslander Michael Sim.

The pair were locked in an arm wrestle all day and it took a touch of magic late in the afternoon from the man who won the Victorian PGA Championship back in February to break the deadlock.

“I actually hit probably one of my best drives all day up 17 and I had 52m to the pin,” Wood recalled of his drive that took an aggressive line over the trees.

The local members were stunned by the tee shot and the crowd appeared to grow by the time Wood stood over his approach.

Sim had put his second shot just over the back of the green and the door was thrown wide open for Wood to take the advantage.

What happened next dropped the jaws of the gallery.

“I hit a lobby (lob wedge) in there to just try to get it as close as possible. I think it took a couple of bounces and then went straight into the hole,” Wood said.

The locals erupted and the eagle all but ensured that Wood would enter the clubhouse with the lead.

He finished with a bogey at the last, but the Queenslander did not let that dampen his mood after his round.

“It was a good day today. My game felt really good on the range and I carried that over to the first tee,” Wood said.

“I’ve always enjoyed coming back here. I come back to play the pro-am here every year so I feel like I know the course pretty well.

“The course is playing a little bit different from the pro-am and so far it’s been good.”

Sim showed his class to go bogey free in his five-under par round of 65, while in the group in front overnight leader Andrew Dodt stayed in the mix with a round of 67 to be two shots off the lead.

In the morning groups, Queensland’s Lawry Flynn grabbed the lead at nine-under par with a round 67 in his second tournament as a professional.

The top-50 players who made the cut today now look forward to another round of stroke play tomorrow where they must fire to advance to the final day.

Only 24 will progress to Sunday’s six-hole medal match play showdown and entry to Warragul Country Club is free all weekend for fans.

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