The in-form Hend and American George McNeill each shot a seven-under-par 65 at Wakonda Club in Des Moines on Friday (local time) and will take a one-shot lead over four players into the weekend.
Australian John Senden, Americans Vaughn Taylor and Tag Ridings and defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain sit at six-under 66.
Hend racked up nine birdies on Friday, including four over the final six holes. The Aussie veteran is on a roll after breaking through for his first PGA Tour Champions win last month at the Trophy Hassan II in Morocco.
Hend said it takes "more than a couple days" to get used to an unfamiliar course, though that didn't stop him from going low in his first visit to Wakonda.
"I didn't play the last four holes (in practice), so I didn't know what the last four holes were like," Hend said.
"So on the 18th tee, I said to my caddie, 'Where's the green?' He's like, 'I think it's over there.' He walked up trying to get the proper line. I'm just trying to learn the golf course and hopefully by Sunday afternoon I'll know what to do."
McNeill turned 50 last fall and is playing his first season on the PGA Tour Champions. He's made the cut in all eight starts and has two runner-up finishes, including at last week's team event, the American Family Insurance Championship, where he played with Kenny Perry.
"Honestly, I'm just trying to play like I have been. I feel like I played fairly well all year," said McNeill, who made an eagle at the par-5 13th to go with six birdies and one bogey.
Tied for seventh at five-under 67 are Americans Doug Barron, Matt Gogel and Brett Quigley, Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal, Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke and Aussies Richard Green and David Brandson.
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