Garcia holds on to lead in Carnoustie wind

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland, July 20 (Reuters) Sergio Garcia fought increasing winds and conjured some magic to maintain his two-stroke lead after nine holes in the British Open second round today.

The Spaniard led by two overnight after a six-under-par 65 but looked sure to drop at least one stroke after pushing his approach to the 406-yard first hole into thick rough.

With a bunker guarding the putting surface and precious little green to play with, the 27-year-old somehow contrived to float the ball up with his most lofted wedge and land it gently just over the sand and it rolled to within a foot of the hole.

He then tapped in for par.

Garcia, who left the course in tears eight years ago after an opening 89, dropped his first shot at the fourth when he three-putted from the edge of the green but made amends with a birdie at the long sixth having reached in two.

SOLID PARS Three solid pars secured as winds around the Scottish east coast links began to pick up took him to the turn in level-par 36.

That left him two clear of the late-starting Irishman Paul McGinley.

American Jim Furyk, the 2003 U.S. Open champion, briefly joined McGinley at four under but lost ground at the 466-yard 10th.

Furyk badly pushed his approach to the right and the ball would have landed in a burn had it not ricocheted off an iron bridge and bounced back into the rough.

However, he could not make the most of his good fortune and took three more for a bogey five. With three to play he still lay on three under alongside compatriot Boo Weekley who was level for the day after seven.

Few of the big names among the early starters could make much headway in conditions which were at least warmer than Thursday's first round.

Phil Mickelson, who has never won the Open but has two green jackets from the US Masters and a US PGA championship to his credit, slipped three shots to the 12th to fall back to three over overall, perilously close to missing the cut.

Ernie Els, the 2002 Open champion, shot a 70 to move level for the tournament while Briton Luke Donald slumped to a 76 for a four-over tally of 146 after carding an eight and two sixes.

World No 1 Tiger Woods, who was gunning for a third Open title running, was scheduled to tee off at 1420 local time (1320).

He was ''ideally'' placed after his first round following a two-under 69 and that situation looked to be improving by the minute in today's tricky conditions.

REUTERS BJR BD1748