Australian Open: Monty and Garcia off to slow starts

Colin Montgomerie and Sergio Garcia made slow starts to the Australian Masters.

Montgomerie could only shoot a par 72 round on his return to the European Tour.

And Garcia fared even worse, carding a three-over par 75.

"Everything was wrong today," said the Spaniard.

"Not only the driver, everything. The three-wood, the irons, the putting."

Peter Fowler produced his best golf for seven years to share the first-round lead.

The Australian veteran fired a seven-under 65 to be joint leader with local amateur Michael Cocking.

Craig Parry, three times a winner of this event, and last year's runner-up Brett Rumford were two shots further back with Brett Ogle and Peter O'Malley among a quartet on four-under 68.