Blake Windred is 'hitting it mint' but he knows the match play section at US Amatuer is a whole new tournament.
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Windred finished the two stroke rounds at one-over and secured progression to the final 64 at the prestigious event for a second straight year.
The 21-year-old is likely to be seeded in the top 15 after a handful of groups complete the second round on Wednesday morning.
"I'm pretty happy with my two days work. I've been hitting it mint," he told Golf NSW website. "It's a new tournament now."
After a spectacular opening-round 67 on the No.4 course, glistened with six birdies, Windred found it much tougher on the No.2 course at the fabled sand belt complex.
"This is the most demanding course I have come across, " Windred told Golf NSW. " It's absolutely brutal."
It was a hard slog from the outset on Tuesday. Windred dropped shots at the third and sixth holes to turn two over.
His score and chances of progressing were in danger of sliding away after a bogey at at the par-four 13th and a double at the par-three 15th dropped him to three over for the championships.
But he managed to wipe away the disappointment with a superb eagle at the 16th to move to one-over and safely inside the top 64.
Windred also finished one-over after two rounds of stroke at Pebble Beach last year. He opened with a 74 and came back with a 70 to be ranked 24th for the match play, where he lost in the round of 64.
The projected cut is five over.
Windred's playing partner and first round leader, Brandon Wu (65,72) also struggled but managed to scramble for an two-over par 72 to finish top of the leader board, at three-under.
Play on Tuesday was delayed late in the afternoon due to severe weather.
