Golf: Monty in danger of missing cut

Colin Montgomerie was in severe danger of missing the halfway cut in the Dubai Desert Classic today.

Montgomerie birdied the final hole in yesterday’s first round to card a one-under-par 71 over the Emirates course, four shots behind overnight leaders Thomas Bjorn and Robert Karlsson.

The seven-time European number one also birdied the 18th this morning after starting on the 10th, but so far that was the Scot’s only birdie and was comfortably outnumbered by bogeys on the testing Majlis layout.

Dropped shots at the 11th, 14th, third and sixth holes left the Scot three over for the day and two over for the tournament and in need of a good finish over the closing three holes to make the final two days.

Montgomerie, who lost in the first round of the World Matchplay in California to Scott McCarron two weeks ago, was 10 shots off the lead now held by England’s John Bickerton.

Bickerton - who fired a final-round 66 in the Malaysian Open last week to finish joint sixth - had picked up seven birdies and two bogeys to move to eight under par, two clear of Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance.

Torrance is playing his first event of the year, but 661st in total on the European Tour, following key-hole surgery on his left knee six weeks ago, after feeling his cartilage go just ‘‘wandering around the house.’’

The 48-year-old admitted it came as a real shock to card a 68 in Thursday’s first round, just one off the lead, but maintained his fine form with four birdies and two dropped shots to continue to outshine several of his Ryder Cup team members.

Torrance’s vice-captain Ian Woosnam was also going well, the Welshman racing to the turn in 31, six under par, to move to five under for the tournament.

Playing partner Bjorn, whose 67 yesterday gave him a share of the lead with Karlsson, remained five under after two birdies and two bogeys so far today, while Karlsson was among the later starters along with pre-tournament favourite Ernie Els.

Leading scores in the PGA Honda Classic played at Heron Bay, Coral Springs, Florida

(USA unless stated, Par 72)

Play abandoned for the day due to rain.

65 Brad Faxon, Skip Kendall

67 Per-Ulrik Johansson (Swe), Fulton Allem (Rsa)

68 Pat Bates, Mike Weir (Can), Billy Andrade

69 Spike McRoy, Greg Chalmers (Aus), Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Tim Herron, Doug Barron, Jerry Kelly, Davis Love III, Michael Clark II

70 Brett Quigley, Craig Perks, Phil Mickelson

71 Frank Nobilo, Chad Campbell, Brian Gay, Billy Mayfair, Retief Goosen (Rsa)

72 Tommy Tolles, Lee Porter, Mark Calcavecchia, Craig Stadler, Tom Byrum

73 Blaine McCallister, Paul Gow, Stephen Ames (Tri), Chris Smith

74 Hal Sutton