Australian Kelsey Bennett and Brisbane-based Cook Islander Elmay Viking will lead the chasing pack this weekend as the women’s field tries to reel back Japanese star Shina Kanazawa in the Vic Open.

The 29-year-old Japan Tour player who bolted out to the first-round lead stayed steady in windy conditions at 13th Beach today, shooting a 70 on the Beach course to reach 9-under par overall.

She is two shots ahead of Mollymook’s Bennett (pictured), who had the luxury of a tap-in birdie at the last in her excellent 2-under 70 on the Beach Course on Friday.

Viking, born in the Cook Islands but based in Brisbane since 2008, was shocked to find herself near the top of the leaderboard in outright third considering she plays only a partial WPGA Tour schedule and works a day job.

Also well in the mix at 5-under at the halfway point are LPGA Tour star Jenny Shin, brilliant Victorian amateur Jazy Roberts, another Japanese player Madoka Kimura and Western Australia’s Jessica Whitting.

Bennett, 24, emerged through the Golf NSW High Performance programs and has already won The Athena in Australia and last year won her first overseas tournament as a professional in France, meaning that she graduates to the Ladies European Tour in 2025.

She heads to Europe in March for the next phase of her career.

“I had a chat with the coach (John Serhan), and all this is a lot of preparation for the LET events and stuff, but obviously playing at home is such a privilege, so I would never take it for granted,” she said.

Viking, 30, has logged 70-69 to get herself into contention for what would be her first win of this magnitude. With her mother Josie on the bag and a positive attitude, she made eagle at the downwind par-5 seventh hole on the Creek course, and was steady otherwise in her second-round 69.

Afterward, she was stunned to find that she would be in the top handful of players entering the weekend. “I’ve got no idea, to be honest with you,” she said. “I never thought I'll be up there contending, like to the leaderboard, but I've got to say that I'm pretty happy to hear that.”

Golf is not a staple in the Cook Islands but there is a nine-hole course on the island of Aitutaki, where she was born and grew up, and that is where she began her golf. Nowadays, she practices at the driving range in the morning and then works five afternoons a week in Brisbane as a postal officer to pay the bills.

Needless to say a win this week would be a monumental achievement for her.

Also hovering around the lead is Jenny Shin, the 32-year-old Korean who has spent so much time in Australia – she has lived the past two summers in Melbourne – that friends are telling her that she sounds like an Aussie.

Shin is the second-highest ranked woman in the field at No. 58 behind compatriot Jiyai Shin. She is spending time in suburban Elwood to dodge the cold of the American winter, and heads to Asia soon and then back to the US for the LPGA Tour season.

“You know what, everybody around me is Australian and I do adapt fairly quickly,” she said. “But no, I love coming here.”

For Jazy Roberts, 20, the weekend could be a learning experience.

The Yarra Yarra member who originates from Bendigo in regional Victoria was rapt with her 1-under 71 on the tougher Beach course, playing in the afternoon when the wind was much stronger.

She is tied-fourth. “Those last few holes were brutal,” said Roberts. “I just wanted to get off the golf course to be honest.”

Former world No. 1 Jiyai Shin is at 1-under and remains in contention, although she will need a big weekend.