 Kensei Hirata IslandStats.com
Hirata set the benchmark with a flawless seven-under-par 64. The Osaka native traded in pure consistency, firing seven birdies without dropping a single shot to move to 13-under for the tournament.
Blanchet quickly matched him at the summit, carding a steady four-under 67 featuring five birdies and a solitary bogey to claim his share of the clubhouse lead.
The chasing pack remains tightly bunched, with five players sitting just one stroke adrift at 12-under par.
Leading that charge is 2022 champion Seamus Power, who matched Hirata's low round of the day with a sparkling, bogey-free 64. The Irishman sits in a five-way tie for third alongside Canada’s Corey Conners (67), who racked up six birdies in an eventful round, and fellow Canadian Ben Silverman (67).
American duo Eric Cole and Danny Walker are also firmly in contention at 12-under; Cole surged up the leaderboard with a six-under 65, while Walker posted a solid 67.
With the projected cut settled at five-under, it proved a difficult day for the local contingent.
Bermuda's Nick Jones produced an improved second-round 70 in demanding coastal breezes, but his level-par tournament total left him well adrift of the weekend cutline. Fellow Bermudian Camiko Smith endured a bruising afternoon, carding a 14-over-par round featuring 10 bogeys and two double bogeys to bow out of contention.
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