• Australian Masters

Garcia hunts down Bland leader

Sergio Garcia shot a six-under-par 65 in the windy conditions to shoot up the leaderboard © Getty Images

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Australian Adam Bland is proving his golf game is anything but as he leads the Australian Masters in Melbourne as Sergio Garcia made an impressive charge up the leaderboard.

Tiger Woods, meanwhile, played through the worst of Friday's windy conditions and could only manage a one over par round of 72.

Bland, who shared the overnight lead at Victoria Golf Club, moved clear with a solid four-under 67 after his 65 on Thursday. He recorded his first two bogeys in his first five holes before recovering to drain six birdies for the second day in a row.

Bland is two strokes ahead of Andre Stolz, who also shot a 67 to move to eight under par, and those two enjoy a comfortable buffer at the halfway mark.

Daniel Gaunt is next in line at five-under and then comes Garcia, who went around in 65 shots to catapult himself into contention at four under. Garcia's highlight was a 15-foot birdie putt from off the green at the 3rd, which was his 12th hole after starting on the back nine.

The Spaniard refused to get carried away with his brilliant day's play. He said: "I just wanted to go out there and play decent, shoot maybe two or three under and make sure that I could be here for the weekend. As the round started I was getting more and more confident."

Woods is tied for 17th at one under par, the lack of low scoring proving that the majority of players have struggled in tested conditions in Melbourne. The former world No.1 mixed four bogeys with three birdies in a round that was more about survival than attack.

Camilo Villegas joined Woods at one under after shooting an eventful 70 featuring five birdies and a double bogey at the 17th.

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