Montgomerie drives back into contention

Colin Montgomerie remains in contention for the Celtic Manor Wales Open despite suffering more problems off the course.

A second-round 68 left Montgomerie high on the leaderboard for the first time since the news he was separating from wife Eimear ‘with a view to divorce’ last month.

And that was achieved despite being forced to drive home to London on Thursday evening after being told there was a leak in his new apartment.

Montgomerie only arrived back at the course at 2am and was up at 6am for his second round, but carded five birdies and just one bogey for a nine-under-par halfway total of 135.

That was five shots behind surprise leader Simon Khan, who fired a record-equalling front nine of 27 and threatened the first-ever round of 59 on the European Tour before having to settle for a course-record 61.

Ryder Cup hopeful Paul Casey was two shots off the lead after equalling the previous record of 63 with defending champion Ian Poulter 10 off the pace after a 69.

“Fortunately the leak stopped in my apartment but there was enough to cause a problem,” said Montgomerie. “It was reported by the concierge of the apartments.

“But I will drive back again tonight, it gives me something to do.”

Montgomerie, who has to go through qualifying for the Open at his home course of Troon later this month, added: “It is nice to be on the leaderboard at halfway, I don’t know how long it will last.

“I suppose if you told me at the start of the week I would be nine under at halfway I would have taken that and run off.

“I haven’t putted particularly well really so if I can just get the ball rolling towards the hole a bit better I will have a chance. But it is nice to say at this stage I have a chance.”

Casey, who finished sixth at the US Masters in April, also alluded to off-course problems which have affected his focus in recent weeks, particularly at last week’s PGA Championship.

The 26-year-old from Surrey, who exchanged words with a BBC camera crew at Wentworth for distracting him and nearly running over his ball, said: “It’s nothing disastrous but I have definitely been distracted by off course issues.

“I felt I was an angry person at Wentworth, which is not how I usually am and it affects my golf. But sometimes it is good to see that if you are that way. The good side is that I recognised that and know I need to be the other way to play good golf.

“I haven’t been focused the last four weeks but the last two days have been very good. I’ve kept my head on my shoulders nicely, relaxed and tried to play aggressive golf.”

Casey was full of praise for Khan’s record round after watching his progress closely on the leaderboards around the Wentwood Hills course.

“My round was down to chasing Simon,” he added. “It takes your mind off what you are shooting and his 61 was very, very impressive. The fact that he didn’t birdie the last doesn’t matter, very few people will have a chance for a 59 coming up the last.

“We were making wagers among our group about how low he would go. I must say the caddies weren’t very supportive but the players were backing him and we were actually disappointed to see his total of 14 under go up on the board.”

Khan carded an amazing seven birdies and an eagle in his first nine holes and his front nine of 27 equalled the record for the lowest nine holes in tour history and left him needing just four more to card a magical 59.

But he could only pick up two more birdies in an inward half of 34 to break the course record of 63 set by Jarrod Moseley last year by two shots.

Khan was handed a one-shot penalty for slow play in last week’s PGA Championship at Wentworth – turning an eagle three on the 12th in the third round to a birdie four – but there was nothing sluggish about his start at Wentwood Hills this morning.

He birdied the first four holes, eagled the fifth and then birdied six, eight and nine to make him only the third player after Jose Maria Canizares and Joakim Haeggman to complete nine holes in nine under.

He picked up another shot on the 621-yard par five 11th but could not find another until the 17th, and failed to chip in on the 18th for the eagle which would have given him a 59.

Khan, whose previous best round was also a course-record 64 in last year’s Italian open, said: “I felt pretty relaxed all day but as the round went on you couldn’t help thinking about the 59. After 11 holes I definitely felt there was a chance.

“When I chipped in for eagle on the fifth all of a sudden I was six under par for five holes but I though to myself ‘don’t just stick here.’

“I thought to myself ‘you are only level par and let’s try to push on from here.’

“I’ve never done anything like this before, although I did once shoot 29 for nine holes in a pro-am in Essex!”

Khan was using a new Callaway putter he picked up on Sunday night after being inspired by Scott Drummond’s shock victory in the PGA Championship.

“I said to my wife I played well at Wentworth but didn’t really hole a putt,” Khan added. “She is pretty direct and said ‘it’s not going to get any better just sitting there talking about it’ so I got my putting track out on the carpet and hit about 300 putts that night.”