US Tour stand-outs Nathan Green and Stuart Appleby and European Tour veteran Richard Green headline a star-studded leaderboard heading into the third round of the Australian Open.

Nathan Green finished 41st in his rookie season in the United States, including six top 10s, and he takes a two-shot lead into today following rounds of 67 and 71 at the tough Royal Sydney lay-out.

Richard Green is outright second at four-under, ahead of Appleby and Gavin Coles, who are both one-under the card.

World No.4 Adam Scott, U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, Nick O'Hern and Brett Rumford are in a pack of players at even par.

Greg Norman also managed to make the cut, producing a one-over par 73 after an opening round 79.

At one stage during the second round Nathan Green opened up a five-shot lead, but he had just his second bogey of the tournament on the 12th hole and his namesake fought back to close the gap to two.

"I was aware of it and thought gee Nathan's playing great golf and at the time I wasn't really doing anything," Richard Green said.

"I was really quite, not concerned, but I was thinking I'm going to really need to do something over the closing holes and closing holes here aren't easy.

"Sixteen is a chance and the rest you're pretty happy with pars.

"To make a birdie on 15 and set up an eagle opportunity on 16 and not make it and then birdie 17 was a good way to finish and gives me a chance."

Richard Green doesn't expect anyone to jump from obscurity over the weekend and challenge the frontrunners.

"No-one's really jumped out of the blocks ... it's been guys that have set the pace early and moved along," he said.

"I think it will be a bit of that case on the weekend too, unless the wind dies down dead still.

"I'm just putting one foot in front of the other and concentrating on what I have to do in the moment and it's working well."

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