Monty sets the pace with ease

GOLF/PGA Championship: Colin Montgomerie will elicit little sympathy from his fellow professionals after yesterday's opening round of the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth. His insomnia inducing back pain, catalogued in great detail just 24 hours previously proved a catalyst rather than a millstone as he shot a magnificent eight under par, 64 to stun his rivals.

The practical impositions of four bulging discs - his specialist's diagnosis - ensured that Montgomerie's swing was more measured with an abbreviated follow through: that it was effective is an understatement. The three times champion at the tournament (1998-2000) explained: "The best shot I hit was a five iron at the fifth and the reason I say that is usually it would have been a six iron.

"I hit five iron because I can't come through the ball properly yet it is amazing how much more control I seem to have on the ball." It came as little surprise that Montgomerie eulogised the work of the specialist whom he visited on Tuesday and Wednesday; yesterday afternoon he settled for a trip to the osteopath.

He then revealed, to great hilarity among the press corps, that his medical consultants suggested that he needed to develop a six pack stomach, thereby compensating for his fragile back. Oh, and he also has to go on a diet. It's just as well that he is thriving on the golf course, otherwise life would be pretty unrewarding of late.

Montgomerie turned in two under the card but on the 10th immediately accelerated away from his pursuers. A run of birdie, birdie, eagle - he chipped in from 35 feet - birdie took him to seven under and even a dropped shot on the 15th, where he three putted, could not arrest his momentum.

He birdied both the closing par fives for a 64. It is the third time he has registered a 64 in this tournament alone and perhaps the greatest indication of his current superlative form is that Montgomerie is now 36 under par for his last nine rounds of golf.

Yesterday was obviously the day of the afflicted as the defending champion, Scotland's Andrew Oldcorn crawled from his bed, to shoot a four under par, 68. It could have been even better but he could only manage regulation figures over the closing two par fives. He admitted: "I got a rollicking from my wife to stop moaning about things."

Montgomerie is three shots clear of fellow Scot Andrew Coltart, Denmark's Steen Tinning and elder statesmen in Mark McNulty and Eduardo Romero who shots 67s.

Australia's Stephen Leaney celebrated a hole-in-one on the par three, 10th, the 18th in Volvo PGA Championship history and the fourth at the 10th. The lot of the Irish players was a less happy one with a few exceptions. Ronan Rafferty, who has made only four cuts in the last 30 months, conjured a superb four under par 68, that included an eagle two at the 15th where he holed his second shot, a five iron.

Darren Clarke, sporting a new belly putter in competition for the first time (29 putts), managed a fine two under par, 70 that occasionally promised more. Paul McGinley was one shot further back, his round a testament to character and perseverance.

Two over after the front nine he returned home without a blemish on the card while recording three birdies. "I wasn't on my game but battled and 71 was a good return." The Dubliner then offered his stance on the vexed question of who should captain the European Ryder Cup team when it is played in the K-Club in 2006.

"It would be an injustice if it's not an Irish captain particularly with the event going to Ireland for the first time. I would be very, very disappointed with the Tour if it's not an Irish captain because Des (Smyth) or Christy (O'Connor jnr), who are the front runners would make great captains."

Padraig Harrington shot his worst round of golf since the final round of last year's Volvo PGA at Wentworth. The fact that it was a four over par, 76 underlines the quality of the golf that he has produced in the interim. He is one behind Ashbourne's John Dwyer and Neil Manchip (Royal Dublin) and two adrift of Des Smyth who shot a 74 while Robert Giles (79) and Eamonn Darcy (79) struggled.

(Br and Irl unless stated, par 72):

64 - C Montgomerie.

67 - A Coltart, M McNulty (Zim), S Tinning (Den), E Romero (Arg).

68 - T Gillis (USA), Ml Campbell (Nzl), L Parsons (Aus), D Borrego (Spa), S Leaney (Aus), R Karlsson (Swe), A Oldcorn, J M Olazabal (Spa), G Turner (Nzl), A Hansen (Den), D Gilford, R Rafferty, G Evans, D J Russell.

69 - I Garrido (Spa), T Immelman (Rsa), A Scott (Aus), P O'Malley (Aus), J Sandelin (Swe), G Clark, M Foster, M Davis, J-F Remesy (Fra), R Muntz (Ned), C Rodiles (Spa).

70 - D Botes (Rsa), L Westwood, M A Martin (Spa), S Delagrange (Fra), C Gillies, G Brand Jnr, P Baker, A Cabrera (Arg), D Clarke, S Scahill (Nzl), M Mouland.

71 - D Greenwood, J Rivero (Spa), M Brier (Aut), S Lyle, B Lane, T Bjorn (Den), N Faldo, P McGinley, M A Jimenez (Spa), N Fasth (Swe), G Owen, P Sjoland (Swe), R Russell, D Lee, N O'Hern (Aus), J Moseley (Aus), P Golding, S Dyson, M Lundberg (Swe), S Gallacher, M Lafeber (Ned), S Bebb, M Pinero (Spa), B Dredge, R Jacquelin (Fra), R Green (Aus), F Jacobson (Swe), T Levet (Fra), P Fulke (Swe), R Goosen (Rsa), P Casey, S Torrance, M Farry (Fra), D Carter, J Bickerton, S Struver (Ger), A Forsyth, J V de Velde (Fra), G Marks, S Edwards.

72 - M Roe, N Price, J Spence, G Orr, R Wessels (Rsa), C Hanell (Swe), B Davis, H Bjornstad (Nor), D Fichardt (Rsa), J Bevan, P Price, CPettersson (Swe), N Dougherty, W Bennett, A Marshall, B Rumford (Aus).

73 - G Emerson, J M Singh (Ind), I Ellis, M Wiggett, O Karlsson (Swe), J Berendt (Arg), G Havret (Fra), M James, S Webster, D Smyth, D Lynn, P Way, R Gonzalez (Arg), I Woosnam, P Lawrie, J Hugo (Rsa), H Stenson (Swe), R Chapman, A Duffin, R Johnson (Swe), YWei-tze (Tpe), M Urquhart.

74 - H Nystrom (Swe), I Poulter, IStanley (Aus), J Haeggman (Swe), A Cejka (Ger), M Mackenzie, J Rose, R-J Derksen (Ned)

75 - JDwyer, N Manchip, M Nesbit, SHansen (Den), I Garbutt, C Wi (Kor), M Pilkington, J Donaldson.

76 - A Wall, T Dier (Ger), S Dodd, GLingard, C Rocca (Ita), PHarrington, E Canonica (Ita), CGane, JSkold (Swe), T Johnstone (Zim).

77 - J Lomas, S Kjeldsen (Den), PEales, ABaddeley (Aus), K Eriksson (Swe), I Ferrie.

79 - R Giles, E Darcy, A Forsbrand (Swe).

81 - C Goodfellow.

83 - A Atwal (Ind).