Monty withdraws from Open

Colin Montgomerie today pulled out of the 132nd Open Championship at Royal St George’s.

Montgomerie was four over par after seven holes of his first round when he decided he was unable to continue.

Montgomerie did not last much longer on the course, pulling out with an injury after hitting his tee shot on the eighth.

It emerged the former European number one had suffered a fall at his hotel this morning on his way to breakfast and injured his right hand and both knees, and would have pulled out before his round if it was any other tournament.

He then headed off to hospital for an X-ray but has already pulled out of next week’s Nissan Irish Open.

Out on the course, the wind continued to blow and it looked increasingly likely that Otto’s score might not be beaten.

Els remained one over par after three holes, the same score as Justin Rose after five, and while Phil Mickelson had eagled the seventh to improve to two under, he still had the toughest stretch of the course to come on the back nine.

The same was true of Lee Westwood, one under after four holes, and New Zealander Michael Campbell, two under after six.