Garcia Is Dropped Into Tie for Lead

Sergio Garcia was penalized two strokes for an incorrect drop Saturday, falling into a tie for the lead with Aaron Baddeley after three rounds of the Greg Norman International at Sydney, Australia.

Garcia’s opening tee shot wound up against a pine cone near a tree, with a billboard blocking his path to the green.

After seeking advice from Norman, his playing partner, Garcia took a drop, moving away from the sign. He then parred the hole.

European PGA Tour rules chief John Paramor told Garcia on the next hole that a penalty could be imposed, saying the drop had to be outside a club’s length of the nearest point of relief.

Garcia finished the round with a three-under-par 70, leaving him at 203.

“Of course I’m angry. I was two ahead and now suddenly I’m tied for the lead,” Garcia said. “Hopefully, without John Paramor’s rules, I’ll be able to win. In the rules it doesn’t say what he was telling me, but there’s a local rule and I’m lucky I wasn’t disqualified.”

Said Norman, who was two shots behind Garcia: “I feel bad personally, because he asked me for the ruling and I went through the procedure that I thought was correct. Thank God he wasn’t disqualified.”

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With the focus on an anticipated duel between Karrie Webb and Annika Sorenstam, Canada’s Lorie Kane won the Takefuji Classic by two shots at Keauhou, Hawaii.

Kane closed with a six-under 66 on the Kona Country Club course for a tournament-record 11-under 205 total. She earned $127,500 for her fourth victory in seven months.

Sorenstam shot a 70 to finish second, Cristie Kerr (69) was third at 208, and Pat Hurst (69) and Sweden’s Maria Hjorth (67) tied for forth at 209. Hjorth, the first-round leader, was hurt by a double bogey on the last hole.

Webb shot a 71 to finish at 210.

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Gil Morgan, seeking his 19th senior victory, shot a five-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the ACE Group Classic at Naples, Fla.

“I didn’t anticipate being in contention this early in the season,” Morgan said. “I really hadn’t felt like I had enough time to get my game in very good shape. Probably the last few holes kind of showed that.”

Morgan had a six-under 138 total on the Pelican Marsh Golf Club course. Mike McCullough (70), Dana Quigley (70) and South Africa’s John Bland (69) were a stroke back.