Garcia leads but Faldo misses cut

Garcia on his way to the top of the leaderboard

Sergio Garcia responded to challenges from Australians Greg Norman and wonder boy Aaron Baddeley to maintain his one-stroke lead at the Holden International in Sydney on Friday.

On a day which saw Nick Faldo easily miss his second successive cut, Garcia added a 69 to his dazzling opening 64 to reach halfway on the 13 under par total of 133.

While Sweden's Pierre Fulke, second overnight, slipped back, tournament host Norman, 46 on Saturday, and 19-year-old Baddeley both shot 68 to be one and two behind respectively.

Welshman Phillip Price then joined Baddeley in third place by holing a 40-foot closing putt for a 69.

Aaron Baddeley bumps and grinds to third place

Garcia was disappointed rather than delighted at the end of his round because he three-putted the 16th and 17th.

"A 69 is a good round, but it could have been a lot, lot better," he said.

Norman said: "I made two stupid mistakes on the front nine and to keep my concentration after that meant a lot to me."

Price, the 34-year-old from Pontypridd, went to the turn in 32 to get in on the act.

"It's nice to be up there because it was getting tough in the wind towards the end," he said.

Baddeley, who had begun on the back nine, eagled the 548-yard eighth, smashing a spectacular three-wood to three feet.

Meanwhile Wolverhampton's Peter Baker was an inch away from equalling a European Tour record as he finished his 68 with seven birdies in eight holes and lipped out on the other.