Monster putt sees Monty racking up the birdies

Published Date: 03 July 2008 COLIN MONTGOMERIE picked up today where he left off on Sunday to be among the early pacesetters in the European Open at The London Club in Kent. After a miserable start to the year Montgomerie finished second in the French Open at the weekend and, having closed with a 40ft putt there, he opened his defence of the title with a 25-footer. When further birdies came on the long 15th and 225-y ard 17th the 45-year-old Scot, who said going into the event he did not feel he had done enough yet to warrant a Ryder Cup wild card, was three under. That made him part of a group which included his playing partner Ian Poulter and they were one behind Swede Peter Hedblom, who crammed two birdies and an eagle into his first six holes. However, Montgomerie failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker on the... [read full story]