Before this week’s NZPGA Championship, Sung Jin Yeo had never made a cut on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia; now, he’s the joint leader heading into the weekend.

The North Harbour professional fired a second round two under 70 after his impressive 63 yesterday to finish 11 under par at Gulf Harbour Country Club alongside Queenslander Louis Dobbelaar.

Yeo teed off the tenth in the final group of the afternoon field, knowing 11 under was in the clubhouse as Dobbelaar played this morning. He picked up right where he left off yesterday, making back-to-back birdies to tee off his second round before picking up another at the tough par 5 17th.

As the conditions started to turn, Yeo made his first blemish of the day with a bogey on the first and added another to his scorecard on the fourth. The 22-year-old birdied the fifth for the second straight day, three-putted the sixth for bogey, and hit a wedge shot in tight on the seventh, which he converted for another birdie to get back to a couple under.

He parred his final two holes to join Dobbelaar atop the leaderboard, smashing his previous best finish on the tour.

Naturally, he’s proud of his efforts.

“I’m really happy with my week so far. Not just making the cut, but also playing tomorrow in the final group.

“I’m just going to play my own style and play my own golf. I’m not going to think about the score or about making birdies; just stick to my own game.”

Dobbelaar set the early pace this morning after backing up his six under 66 yesterday with another fine round of five under 67.

The 21-year-old Queenslander has played perfectly over the first 36 holes and is yet to record a bogey. He started steadily off the first, making eight pars and a birdie at five on his opening side. However, he caught fire on the tough back nine, making consecutive birdies at 10 and 11 and again at 16 and 17.

He says he hasn’t done anything special and is looking forward to repeating his solid play over the weekend.

“It was just solid really. It was nice to keep the squares off the scorecard, I’m playing really solid and I rolled a few in late in the round, which was nice. I’m not doing anything too special.

“I’ve kept in play really well. This course can be very rewarding if you keep the ball in the fairway, and that’s how I’ve been playing; that’s it.”

Dobbelaar is no stranger to playing well on this side of the Tasman.

He won the 2016 New Zealand Amateur as a 15-year-old and finished in a share of 30th at last week’s New Zealand Open.

Dobbelaar also has family on this side of the ditch and loves making the trip over when he can.

“This is my first time up this way. My family live in Wellington, and I love it over here and love playing golf in this climate. It’s a special place.”

The pair sit three ahead of the chasing pack, including 2017 NZPGA champion Jarryd Felton.

58 players made the cut at one over.

The third round begins tomorrow morning at 9 am.