Sam Jones has stormed into the lead at the midway point of the Renaissance Brewing New Zealand Stroke Play Championship.

He’s fired an impressive six-under 66 to take advantage of the calm but cool conditions that greeted the morning field at Christchurch Golf Club. He sits one clear of Josh Geary at nine-under-par following his opening round of 69.

Jones began the day with a birdie on the par 5 tenth and again on the par 5 12th. He made consecutive bogeys on 13 and 14, but back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17 appeared to kick him into gear as he made the turn in two-under.

He played flawless golf on the back nine, making a birdie at the third and then three on the trot from the sixth. He came home in four-under to sign for a round of 66.

His morning round was only bettered by Johnny Tynan, who shot an incredible nine-under 63, which included a hole-in-one at the par 3 14th.

Defending champion Michael Hendry is seven-under alongside Akarana’s Joshua Bai.