Monty sustains momentum

COLIN MONTGOMERIE carried on from where he left off to set a blistering pace in the American Express Championship in San Francisco.

Fresh from his first victory in 19 months in the dunhill Links Championship on Sunday, Montgomerie carded a first round 64 to lead the £4.2m event at Harding Park.

The 42-year-old Scot fired six birdies in a flawless round to lead by three shots from Ryder Cup team-mate David Howell, and world number one Tiger Woods seeking his 11th victory in 21 WGC events who also recorded a round of 67.

Montgomerie admitted part of him wanted to celebrate his dunhill victory, rather than make the journey to the US west coast, but there were no signs of over-indulgence on the course.

Starting on the 10th, the seven-time European number one took advantage of one of only two par fives on the course with an opening birdie, and picked up another shot on the 12th.

His round really sparked into life just before the turn however, a birdie from seven feet on the 16th followed by another on the par three 17th where his tee shot finished inches from the hole.

Another superb iron shot into the signature 18th made it three birdies in a row and took Montgomerie into the outright lead.

It also took Montgomerie well clear of his nearest rival for an eighth money list title, New Zealand's Michael Campbell.

US Open champion Campbell could only manage a one over 71.

After a run of six pars on the front nine, Montgomerie birdied the seventh after another brilliant approach and made par at the monster 230-yard par three eighth.

Woods had bogeyed the same hole after missing the green but declared himself content with his opening round after recovering from a rib injury suffered during the Presidents Cup a fortnight ago.

"I felt if I could shoot somewhere between two and four under par it would be pretty good," Woods said.

"Looking at the pin positions it's a pretty good score. For the first day they did a pretty good job of setting up the golf course."

Woods had predicted the extensively renovated municipal course could yield low scores if the wind did not blow and that looked like the case.

Australian Richard Green showed what was possible with a birdie on the 10th followed by a hole-in-one on the 11th, the left-hander holing a five-iron from 194 yards.

It was not proving so easy for England's Neil Cheetham, who stumbled to a seven over 77. Cheetham, ranked 430 places below playing partner and world number three Phil Mickelson, needs a good finish to try to keep his European Tour card.

But after opening with two pars, and out-driving Mickelson on the first, a double bogey on the third was followed by more dropped shots to leave him 70th of the 71-strong field.

USPGA champion Mickelson had been three under after 10 but dropped four shots to sink to a 71.

There was no bad news for Ireland's Graeme McDowell, who signed for a two-under 71, keeping him in the hunt.