Monty mars early effort

Colin Montgomerie and Sergio Garcia both had desperately disappointing finishes as the United States PGA championship began in Minnesota today.

Montgomerie, beaten in a play-off for the title in 1995, bogeyed the last two holes for a two over par 74 and Garcia, runner-up to Tiger Woods three years ago, dropped three shots in the last three for a 75.

It left them trailing well behind early pacesetter Jim Furyk, whose four under 68 looked a stiff target for the rest of the field as a testing wind replaced the morning storms.

Justin Rose was among those chasing Furyk hard, however. In his first-ever major in America the 22-year-old from Hampshire stood two under and tied for third place with two holes to play and led the European challenge for a trophy they have not held since Tommy Armour way back in 1930.

He was certainly enjoying the day more than another debutant, Surrey's Paul Casey. Last season's European tour Rookie of the Year was lying last after a nightmare 13 over par 85.

Play had been delayed was nearly three hours because of the threat of lightning on the same Hazeltine National course where a fan was killed during the 1991 United States Open.

The star group of Woods, Open champion Ernie Els and defending champion David Toms had each hit just one shot when the suspension came at 8.38am.

On their return Els and Woods moved quickly to two under, but they then slipped back. With two to play they were both one under and tied for sixth place.

Montgomerie thinned a chip at the short 17th and then left another 20 feet short on the last and after racing his putt six feet past did well to make the return and drop only one more shot.

"I'm not very happy about that," said the 39-year-old Scot, who in the Open at Muirfield last month had dumb-founded everybody by following a course record 64 with a third round 84.

"I had just one birdie (at the 18th, his ninth) and that's not enough. I had lots of chances."

Montgomerie, still to win a major of course, looked in no mood to linger for a chat, but one American reporter did have time to slip in the now customary question about his treatment from the crowd.

The Ryder Cup star, who earlier this year threatened never to play in the States again, took a long pause and then replied: "Fine."

The prospect of some heckling had clearly been thought of by officials as fine uniformed police officers were assigned to Montgomerie's group.

Garcia, who had his own problems at the US Open in June, was going nicely at one under with seven to play, but a double bogey at the 402-yard 16th - a hole Greg Owen eagled earlier - was a huge setback.

"I got the wrong club and went over the green into the water," said the Spaniard. "But it wasn't my only bad shot. I hit four or five and I just didn't play very well.

"I also three-putted twice from just off the green and never got going. You have to realise you are going to have days like this, but it's unfortunate when it's in a tournament you really want to win."

Els opened by chipping in from 45 feet and also birdied the long 11th, his second.

Woods matched him there and birdied the 465-yard 12th as well. But the Masters and US Open champion, trying to become the first player in golf history to win three majors in a season twice, paid the price for poor chips on the 18th and first.

He did well not to drop another shot on the second, hitting his second shot into sand short of the green, but made a 10-footer for par and got back under par with a superb iron to four feet at the 196-yard fourth.

Furyk turned in level par, but then covered the front nine in 32 to establish a one-stroke lead over Australian Peter Lonard.

One further back alongside Rose were twice US Open Lee Janzen, former winner Vijay Singh and and Fred Funk.

As Woods parred the last for a 71 and Els bogeyed it for 72 Rose rolled in a 12-foot putt on the 17th and with that joined Lonard in second place on three under, one behind Furyk.

Paul Lawrie, the last European winner of a major, had to settle for a 75, however, and Thomas Bjorn, joint leader early on, returned a 74 and Ian Woosnam a 77.