Monty hangs on for halfway lead

A jet-lagged Colin Montgomerie (pictured) breathed a sigh of relief after remaining in contention for his first strokeplay title on American soil in the €6.1m American Express Championship.

Montgomerie added a second-round 69 to his opening 64 for a seven-under-par halfway total of 133 at Harding Park, one ahead of Ryder Cup team-mate David Howell and former Open champion John Daly.

Tiger Woods, seeking an 11th win in 21 WGC events, is a shot further back in a share of third after a 68.

“I’m glad to get in with a 69,” admitted Montgomerie after holing from six feet for a bogey at the 18th.

“After a 64 any score in the 60s is a reasonable effort. I truly believe today’s score was better than yesterday’s. That was adrenaline and it just flowed, but today was tougher and it was colder.

“I’m actually quite tired, the jet-lag is kicking in so I’m glad to get finished. My confidence is high and that’s what is keeping me going. I’m looking forward to playing at the weekend and seeing how well I can do.”

Montgomerie, fresh from victory in the Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday, had a three-shot overnight cushion but that was wiped out within 10 holes of the second round in damp, misty conditions.

The Scot had been back to his accurate best in the first round, missing just four fairways and finding 16 of the 18 greens in regulation.

But he was unable to maintain that form in the second round and after going to the turn in 34 with one birdie and eight pars, a poor drive on the 10th cost him his first bogey of the week.

After 27 holes without a bogey it looked as though Montgomerie would make it two in three holes when he duffed his chip to the par-four 12th from just off the green.

But the former European number one rolled in a 12-foot putt to save par and then birdied the 16th and 17th, for the second day running hitting his approach on the latter to within inches of the flag.

All that good work almost came undone on the 18th however. His approach to the green was carved to the right and his first chip failed to find the putting surface. His fourth shot pulled up six feet short but the 42-year-old bravely holed for a bogey five.

“I got off to a good start, it went flat in the middle and then I got it back on 16 and 17 and nearly threw it away on the 18th,” added Montgomerie.

For the second day in succession Howell dropped a shot at his final hole of the day in his 67. The Swindon golfer had picked up four birdies before pulling his drive on the 18th into heavy rough and eventually missing from six feet for par.

It was still a continuation of the 30-year-old’s excellent form this season however, the former Walker Cup star finishing sixth in the NEC Invitational in his second event back after a two-month injury lay-off and then winning his first European Tour title for six years the following week in Munich.

Howell was also a member of the record-breaking Ryder Cup team last year but still finds himself a virtual unknown in America.

“It doesn’t worry me that I fly under the radar over here,” Howell said.

“It’s my job to make the American public know who I am.

“I want to be a superstar but I’m not worried if people don’t recognise me all the time. I’ve been with the guys who get recognised all the time enough to know it’s a pain in the bum.

“It’s slightly surprising when you’ve played on a winning Ryder Cup team but that’s fine.”

Woods was disappointed not to shoot a really low score after four birdies and an eagle on the seventh, where he drove the green on the 319-yard par four and holed from 10 feet.

“I turned a really good round into an okay round,” the Open and Masters champion said.

“I felt today was my opportunity to shoot what Monty did yesterday. I’ve made quite a few mistakes and if you eliminate those I’m in double-digits (under par) for the week.”

Daly was not to be outdone in the big-hitting department, driving onto the front of the green on the 336-yard par-four 16th while Woods was preparing to putt.

“It’s fun to be able to hit driver and you can score well if you hit it straight,” said Daly, who carded his second-consecutive 67.

“I love playing a golf course where you can hit driver 80% of the time.”

Ian Poulter is four off the lead after a second-round 70, two ahead of Stephen Dodd, Thomas Bjorn and Paul McGinley, the Dubliner firing one of the best rounds of the day with three birdies and an eagle in a 65.

Padraig Harrington and Lee Westwood continued to struggle however and lie six over par.