Golf:Maybe it was being reunited with his Ryder Cup team this week that inspired him, but whatever it was Colin Montgomerie started to lift himself out of the doldrums in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth this morning.
Down at 462nd in the world after almost three years without a win, the 47-year-old Scot birdied three of the first four holes in blustery and cold conditions.
It made him joint leader with 18-year-old Matteo Manassero, who could move into the world’s top 15 if he captured his third European Tour title this weekend.
As for the battle for the world number one spot between Lee Westwood and Luke Donald, the early advantage belonged to Donald. Both birdied the long fourth, but Westwood had bogeyed the previous hole.
Montgomerie used to talk of being “one up” on the first tee of the West Course, such was his record — three successive victories in the Tour’s flagship event just over a decade ago and a World Match Play victory as well. In the first three hours’ play there were only three birdies at the 473-yard opening hole into the wind and they came from Montgomerie, Darren Clarke and big-hitting Alvaro Quiros.
Montgomerie then birdied the 465-yard third and added another on the par five fourth. Manassero, 17th on his debut in the tournament a year ago, matched that and also picked up twos on both the second and fifth.
They were a stroke ahead of Clarke, Quiros and England’s Ross McGowan, while US Open champion Graeme McDowell was alongside Donald on one under and Rory McIlroy alongside Westwood on level par
