Montgomerie among early leaders
Colin Montgomerie quickly lived up to his billing as clear favourite for the KLM Open in the early stages of the first round today.
Returning from a two-week break after missing the cut in the British Open at Hoylake, Montgomerie moved into a share of the lead with three birdies in his first eight holes at a breezy and overcast Zandvoort.
Starting from the 10th, the 43-year-old Scot opened with four pars but then picked up birdies on the 14th, 16th and 17th to join Australian David Bransdon and Italian Alessandro Tadini at the top of the leaderboard on three under.
In a weakened field, Montgomerie is one of just six players in the world’s top 100 taking part, the same six also travelling to Chicago next week for the final major of the year, the USPGA Championship, at Medinah.
“I like to be competitive before a major,” the eight-time Order of Merit winner said.
“I like to give myself a bit of confidence if I do well.
“We are playing a links course before a parkland course next week but it is quite soft really. It is not bouncing off and there are not really many links-type shots to be played.”
Seve Ballesteros was honoured at a pre-tournament dinner on Tuesday to mark the 30th anniversary of his first victory on the European Tour, the 1976 Dutch Open, and his nephew Raul was keeping up the family tradition at Kennemer Golf Club.
A birdie on the 12th and five pars ensured the Ballesteros name was on the leaderboard in a share of 10th place.
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