Adam Scott has captured the Australian Open clubhouse lead with a spectacular finish to his course-record-equalling second round at Victoria Golf Club.
Delighting the big gallery, Scott drained a long-range putt from off the green for eagle to ice his flawless seven-under-par round of 63 on Friday.
The former world No.1 vaulted to eight under for the championship and trailed Victorian first-round leader David Micheluzzi by just a shot when he signed off.
It was a brilliant bounce back after Scott's self-confessed "disgusting" first-round 70 at Kingston Heath, which featured four bogeys and a double.
After equalling the Victoria course record himself on Thursday, Micheluzzi picked up three more shots through 14 holes to be 10 under late in his second round.
While Scott is right in the hunt for an elusive second Open crown, 13 years after winning his first, world No.3 Cameron Smith was still facing an anxious wait to see if he'd made the halfway cut some five hours after finishing his second round.
Smith's second straight one-over round left the tournament favourite hovering one shot below the projected cut line.
"That was pretty rubbish out there today," said the 150th British Open champion.
"I was just really uncomfortable all day, kind of similar to yesterday. I just couldn't quite hit the ball out the middle of the club face for some reason.
"My mind was a little bit foggy, obviously a little bit tired as well. But I need to play better than that, even when I am tired.
"It's probably the easiest this place is going to get."
