Newcastle battler James Nitties has emerged from the golfing wilderness to snare the Australian Open halfway lead at Royal Sydney.
Nitties produced a spectacular homeward-nine 29 in a seven-under-par 65 to burst from the pack with the day's equal-low round on Friday.
The Dallas-based 34-year-old is nine under for the championship and one stroke ahead of New Zealander Ryan Fox, who recorded a second 68.
US-based Lismore product Rhein Gibson had enjoyed the clubhouse lead all afternoon until Fox birdied the last hole, then Nitties leapfrogged the son of All Blacks legend Grant Fox with his own finishing flurry.