For a long time at Victoria today, Hannah Green looked and moved like someone suffering from jetlag. Through 16 holes, she was 1-over for the day and labouring, having woken even before her alarm sounded, around 4am for her 7.11 am tee time.

Then just like that, she reeled off two consecutive birdies, posted 1-under, and her ISPS HANDA Australian Open remains alive.

The 28-year-old world No. 6 is at 7-under at the halfway point, just two shots off the lead held by South Korean amateur Hyojin Yang who birdied her last hole to post 9-under overall.

Another Korean, 2013 winner Jiyai Shin and rising Australian star Justice Bosio are a shot from the lead at 8-under. A group including Cassie Porter, who played beautifully at Victoria only to double bogey her final hole of the day, Steph Kyriacou, and defending champion Ashleigh Buhai are at 4-under and nicely placed.

Overnight leader Su Oh dropped five shots on a disappointing day, shooting 77 including a triple bogey six at the par-3 third hole that cut deeply. Dual major champion Minjee Lee is also off the pace after a 74 today.

Green only flew into Melbourne on Wednesday because of a commitment to play the LPGA Tour championship in Florida, which finished on Monday morning Melbourne time. With the courses closed that day due to a storm, she was not even afforded a practice round. But she is not letting go that easily.

“Yeah, well obviously we all had an early alarm this morning but I managed to beat it, which is unusual for me,” she said. “Normally that's what wakes me up in the morning, so I'm hoping to stay awake all afternoon and have a really good night's rest.”

Green said the hotter temperatures made the greens at Victoria slightly firmer today, although not quite finding her comfort level with the conditions for 2024.

“Obviously we had some extreme heat that weekend when we played here at Victoria (in 2022), so it's hard not to look back at those experiences and assume that's also how it was going to play,” she said.

“So a couple of times I probably could have been a bit more aggressive but wasn't just because I couldn't get over the fact that it was stopping as quick as it was. But I've put myself in a good position for the weekend, so hopefully Kingston Heath, we don't get too much rain.”

Midway leader Yang, aged just 17, has been a revelation this week. From Jeju Island in Korea, she is staying at a $117-a-night hotel in Melbourne.

Winless in World Amateur Golf Ranking events – she was eighth in the Women’s Asia Pacific Amateur this year – she roared to the outright lead at one point of the afternoon.

Then almost as quickly she gave back three shots in two holes and then carved out another birdie at the ninth to grab the lead. "It's my first time playing here so very happy," she said later. "I'm nervous. It is fun but probably more nervous but we will enjoy it tomorrow."

Her compatriot Shin said the teenager had greeted her and said hello each morning, although they don’t know each other well.

“I’ve played 20 years on the Tour. I’m always happy to see the new generation coming up. It’s a good challenge for me.”

Shin was the big mover on day two, carding a 68 at Kingston Heath to go with her opening 69 at Victoria on Thursday. The Korean may be off the LPGA Tour for her own reasons but she still carries a no.29 world ranking and is a major champion.

She was brilliant in the sunshine at Kingston Heath today, conjuring good memories of her first ISPS HANDA Australian Open appearance, at the same venue in 2008.

“Always good,” said Shin. “I don’t know why. When I’m playing in Australia I really enjoy it and that feeling is a good reason for everything. Even on a Friday there’s a lot of crowds here and I enjoy the crowd.”