Magic returns for Monty

15/06/2006 - 21:07:05
An inspired Colin Montgomerie today rolled back the years to claim the clubhouse lead in the 106th US Open.

Montgomerie carded a one-under-par 69 at Winged Foot for a one-shot lead over Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk, and was the only player in the first half of the field to break par.

The Scot finished third in this event in 1992, lost a play-off in 1994 and was second again in 1997, but has failed to make an impact since.

An inward nine of 43 in Sunday’s final round of the Austrian Open was hardly the ideal preparation either, but the 42-year-old remained optimistic about his prospects, and how right he was.

“I’m delighted, 69 is a good score under any circumstances but especially when I was two over after three,” said Montgomerie, who revealed he had played so well on Tuesday that he did not bother with a practice round on Wednesday.

“It was very difficult, the greens are drying out and it’s difficult to get the ball close to the hole with a 15mph wind.

“The expectations on me to win this in the 1990s were very high and I got close a couple of times. The expectations have been lower the last few years and it does make a difference, you are more relaxed.

“It would not change my life if I did well here this week but it might have done in the 90s. It’s nice I can go out there and freewheel and not worry about things.

“I am more relaxed now. I probably wanted it a little too much before. But it would mean as much, probably more, to do it at 42 years old than 32.”

Montgomerie has played 57 majors without a victory, but finished second to Tiger Woods at St Andrews last year and added: “It was nice to contend with Tiger on a course that was built for him 200 years before he was born!

“It was good for me to feel that I could still compete at that level because it had been a few years where I hadn’t, so it gave me confidence to come back here again and compete again.”

Montgomerie got off to a slow start with bogeys at the first and third, and after a birdie on the sixth was followed by another bogey on the eighth, the Scot was two over par.

At 514 yards the ninth is the longest par four in major championship history, but a brilliant approach to four feet set up a birdie three, and further birdies at the 12th and 17th – the latter a curling effort from 25ft – took Montgomerie into the outright lead.

It could have been even better, Montgomerie missing from five feet for a birdie on the 18th, but with the greens drying out thanks to a testing breeze, it looked to have a good chance of leading at the end of play as well.

Mickelson, seeking his third straight major victory after the 2005 USPGA and 2006 US Masters, predicted the winning score would be over par after opening with a 70.

“Yeah, even par is a good score, you just try to play for par here, whether it’s Thursday or Sunday,” admitted the world number two.

“I happen to think over par is going to win it because I suspect the course will play harder and faster as the week wears on, making the greens tougher to hit to, to chip to and to putt on.

“I was very pleased with even par, I would have taken it from the start. With the wind it was very tough but I thought this was the fairest set-up that we’ve played – the graduated rough gave you a chance.”

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell matched Montgomerie’s inward half of 33 to card a 71, a score matched by England’s Kenneth Ferrie on his US Open debut.

“When I made the turn at three over I was pretty disappointed,” said McDowell.

“But this is the ultimate test of golf and I will come out at the end of the week a better golfer.

“Who cares what happens? This is just the best set up in golf and you learn so much in these weeks. I am excited about the way I am playing.”

Irish Open winner Thomas Bjorn and debutant Phillip Archer carded 72s, Ireland’s Padraig Harrington a 73 and Ian Poulter and Paul McGinley were round in 74.

World number 11 Luke Donald and former Walker Cup team-mate Nick Dougherty both slumped to rounds of 78, eight over.

Tiger Woods was experiencing a torrid time on his return to action following the death of his father, the world number one five over par at the turn.

Darren Clarke was faring much better at level par after eight, alongside Sergio Garcia and David Howell, the European number one recovering from two early bogeys.