Monty makes flying start

Much to his surprise, Colin Montgomerie found himself up against a familiar face when the HSBC World Match Play Championship began at a wet Wentworth today.

While the seven-time European number one knew little about Mark Hensby, the man standing between him and the quarter-finals, he certainly knew about the Australian’s caddie.

Carrying Hensby’s bag was Swede Fanny Sunesson, Nick Faldo’s long-time caddie.

But Montgomerie was the one to make a flying start, taking the opening hole with a par four after his opponent carved his drive into the trees and then making a seven-foot birdie putt to win the short second as well.

Up for grabs this week is £1m (€1.5m) – the biggest cheque in golf – and in the absence of the world’s top four Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson and injured defending champion Ernie Els, Montgomerie had to fancy his chances on a course he knows so well.

The draw, however, had set up the possibility of a Friday clash between the Scot and top seed Retief Goosen, winner of his last two tournaments.

Goosen opened against Northumberland’s Kenneth Ferrie, outsider of the 16-man field, and after bogeying the first to go one down instantly turned things round.

Ferrie, the world number 109 who qualified for a debut in the event by winning the European Open, lost the second when Goosen made an eight-footer and then fell behind when the South African hit a five-iron to five feet on the next.