Monty keeps Masters hopes alive
Colin Montgomerie kept his hopes of qualifying for the US Masters alive with a superb second round at the TCL Classic in China this morning.
The Scot shot 65 at the Yalong Bay Golf Club in Sanya, Hainan Island, to return to the clubhouse two shots off the lead in a three-way tie for second.
Montgomerie hit an eagle and five birdies in a bogey-free round to join Englishman Paul Casey and Korea’s Gwang-Soo Choi on 12 under.
Mexican Alex Quiroz held a two-shot lead over the field after picking up six shots over his final six holes to card a second successive 65.
Montgomerie needs to reclaim a place in the world’s top 50 to qualify for Augusta. Victory in China could elevate him as high as 47th and he set about his task in determined fashion today.
He birdied the first hole and gained further shots at the seventh and 10th before really moving into contention with an eagle at the 13th.
Casey, who shared the lead after a first-round 64, maintained his place on the leaderboard with a round of 68 which included an eagle and four birdies.
Making his first appearance outside the USA this year, Casey started badly with a bogey at the second but recovered well and dropped just one more shot at the 13th.
Another Ryder Cup player, Thomas Bjorn, joined six players on 11 under after shooting a 67 while Irishman Paul McGinley and Scotland’s Ross Bain were a shot further back.
McGinley bogeyed two of his first five holes but recovered to add six more birdies to the eight he shot yesterday in his 69.
Two more English players, Simon Hurd of St Albans and Stuart Little from Gloucestershire, were nine under after shooting 66 and 64 respectively.
