Kendall flies up ladder with seven birdies | Bay of Plenty Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Bay of Plenty

Mt Maunganui's national strokeplay champion Brad Kendall has some ground to make up if he's to add the New Zealand under-19 crown to his cabinet today.

Kendall made the big move yesterday, firing seven birdies at the Otago Golf Club in his round of four-under 68 to move to a share of third place with defending champion Duncan Croudis (Otago).

First round leader Simon Brownlee (Muriwai) fired his second round in red figures to take a four-shot buffer into the final round of the men's competition over the Christchurch pair of Owen Burgess and Jordan Bakermans.

Brownlee shot a two-under 69 to move to five-under 137 with a strong display of accurate golf.

The leaders in the men's competition took advantage of still morning conditions at Balmacewen to dominate the scoring with Brownlee turning at one-over before making three birdies in the final five holes for a two-under 69.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Amateur champion Cecilia Cho stamped her class on the competition to take an eight-shot lead into the final round of the women's under-19 championship.

She fired a one-under par 71, displaying consistency at the coastal Chisholm Park Golf Club, with 17 pars and a solitary birdie.

Leading scores, national under-19 golf champs round 2:

Women, Chisholm Park, par 72:

144 Cecilia Cho (Pakuranga) 73 71

152 Chanelle Cassidy (Tokoroa) 76 76, Mun Chin Keh (Pakuranga) 77 75

157 Rica Tse (North Shore) 81 78

158 Brittney Dryland (Maungakiekie) 79 79

159 Julianne Alvarez (Manor Park) 84 75

161 Laura Hoskin (Arrowtown) 82 79

Men, Otago GC, par 71:

137 Simon Brownlee (Muriwai) 68 69

141 Owen Burgess (Russley) 71 70, Jordan Bakermans (Christchurch) 72 69

142 Duncan Croudis (Otago)70 72, Brad Kendall 74 68

143 Tom Cardno (Waitemata) 76 67, Ryan Chisnall (Greenacres) 72 71

144 Chase Thomas (Ardleigh) 72 72, Jay Maaka (Westown) 73 71

145 Jonathon Ratcliffe (Akarana) 71 74, Jordan Green (Ashburton) 73 72, James Beale (North Shore) 74 71

146 Cameron Jones (North Shore) 74 72