Taylor's sensational form saw him record the best score of the day among the 118 starters, finishing with a par round of 59 on the shortened Russell Vale course.

As the tournament moves to Kiama today, the NSW Golf Club member's lead comes some 31 years after a Wollongong golfer of the same name took out the 90-hole competition.

Shell Cove junior Tom Holz is the joint-leader of the under 18s alongside Catalina Country Club member Mitch Donlan after scoring a 61.

Kiama's Michael Ballardin recorded a nett 50, while Mischa Aksenoff won the boys' with 52.

Bankstown's Tanya Ravnjak leads the under 18 girls' competition off the stick after carding 63, one clear of Catalina's Tegan Dunn.

In the under 14s, Jackson Smith used his knowledge of the Russell Vale course to finish with a 52 nett, while Shannon Monopoli from Moruya and Shell Cove's Daniel Davey both notched scores of 67.

The competition features more than 40 golfers with single-figure handicaps.

"There were a lot of scores around that 65 mark, so in most divisions a lot of players are within a couple of shots of each other," organiser Derk de Vries said.

"It certainly makes for a great week ahead."

The tournament moves to Kiama today, before the remaining rounds of the 90-hole competition are played at The Grange and Jamberoo, before concluding at Wollongong Golf Club on Friday.