Australian Adam Scott sank a 10 ft putt for birdie on the 18th hole to take a one-stroke lead today in the $530,000 Australian Masters but his Spanish playing partner Sergio Garcia missed the cut.
The world number 15, who has not won a tournament since October 1999, shot a 73 after his 75 yesterday to finish on a four-over par 148 at the halfway mark, missing the cut by three strokes.
The Spaniard's round got off to an ominous start, after his ball struck a spectator on the head on the first hole.
"I just couldn't make any putts. That was it. I wasn't able to read the greens well," Garcia told reporters.
He added, "I was hitting great shots. I had a tough start, hitting the guy on the head on the first hole, making bogey. I hit two great shots on 10 and missed the putt for eagle.
Scott, 20, who had his first professional victory in the Alfred Dunhill Championship in Johannesburg last month and is coached by Tiger Woods's mentor Butch Harmon, shot a six-under par 66 to be seven-under, before saying he would just try to stay relaxed over the final two rounds.
"I think tomorrow will be an interesting day, I guess it is a moving day, as they say," Scott told a news conference.
"I was a little jumpy in Johannesburg when I had the lead going into the last day. That was a good feeling.
"I had to try and calm myself down. That is the way I play, I try to keep everything pretty relaxed and calm so that I don't have big emotional changes."
The young Australian leads Brad King and 1997 Australian Masters winner Peter Lonard, both on six-under, who are one stroke ahead of a group of seven players.
They include Britain's Colin Montgomerie and triple Australian Masters champion Craig Parry.