A sparkling seven under par score of 63 has thrust Takaka amateur Blair Riordan into the outright lead at the 2012 Carrus Tauranga Open at the Tauranga Golf Club.

Riordan fired five birdies and an eagle while playing bogey-free golf in cool and overcast conditions, and shot a four under par score of 31 on a back nine, which included successive birdies on 11, 12 and 13.

Mount Maunganui amateur Bradley Kendall crushing his drive on the par 5 sixth hole during the Carrus Tauranga Open $1000 shoot-out at the Tauranga Golf Club. Photo by Ben Guild.

Josef Edge chipping onto the green.

Professional Mark Brown shares second place with impressive Mount Maunganui amateur Bradley Kendall, who followed up his win in Tuesday's $1000 shoot-out with a bogey-free six under par score of 64, to sit one shot back.

Kendall got off to a hot start by recording three birdies in the first five holes, before cooling off a little before firing three more on the inward nine.

Meanwhile Brown was frustrated with his fine score after missing opportunities to claim a share of the lead while recording pars on the final four holes.

Taupo PGA professional Troy Ropiha signalled his intention of being in the frame come the weekend with a five under par score of 65 to sit alone in fourth place, with Mount Maunganui professional Luke Nobilo and Manakau amateur Tae Koh sharing fifth.

Former Northern Knights and Black Caps cricketer Alex Tait rounds out the top ten with a host of players on three under, including Doug Holloway, David Klein, Brenden Stuart and Jason Gulasekharam, while notable names like Grant Moorhead and Jared Pender sit just one stroke back.

Remarkably, with variations in course lay-out and weather aside, Sir Bob Charles' round of 69 during Wednesday's pro-am would have been good enough for a share of twelfth place.

The 76-year-old had only played two rounds of golf in two months and barely had enough time to hit a bucket of balls before tee-off after having much of his time taken up by media commitments.

A total of 37 players out of the 111 player field shot even par or better.

Jayson Zulch from Auckland hits his ball out of the bunker on the 18^th hole.

Richard Lee.

Hanna Seifert.

Jonny Ratcliffe from Auckland putts while Jonathan Park looks on.

Cameron Neal from Otumoetai on the 18^th hole.

Troy Ropiha putts and Dean Sipson watches on.