Monty criticises late start

Colin Montgomerie wanted to see daylight when he finished his third round in the Volvo Masters at Valderrama – and not just between himself and Order of Merit rival Michael Campbell.

The 42-year-old, seeking a phenomenal eighth money list title of his career after his second-round 66, was critical of the tee-off times for the final counting event of the domestic season.

But he then discovered there was no change for today’s play – and as the halfway leader he is starting at 2.20pm again.

Montgomerie, two ahead of Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter in the tournament and eight clear of Campbell in an Order of Merit race he already leads by nearly £105,000 (€154,000), remembers what happened three years ago.

He and Bernhard Langer shared the title when their play-off was halted by darkness.

“One doesn’t understand why we should start so late,” he commented. “All it does is hurt the later starters – it’s very, very dark and it does affect one’s play.”

Television schedules invariably determine the timings, but Montgomerie added: “Well, sometimes we have to think about the players.”

He had support from Poulter, who last year beat Garcia at the first extra hole as the light began to fade.

“The last couple of holes it’s getting a little bit dark,” he said after his 68 with Montgomerie yesterday.

“You have a 20-foot putt with a little bit of break and it’s quite difficult to read the line because it’s a little bit too dark.”

Campbell has to finish in the top four just to have a chance to denying Montgomerie the number one spot, but although he improved from 23rd to 11th with a 69 he fell from five behind to eight adrift.

It has all been going Montgomerie’s way so far, but the Scot has been at pains to state that it is not easy.

“This was always going to be difficult,” he stated. “If it was easy we would all be doing this, 90% of the population would love to do what I do. It’s not easy – it’s a stress.”

On being a tournament-record nine under par at halfway he added: “I am obviously delighted. I came here with all sorts of pressure and anxieties and all sorts of stuff going on, so I am proud of that. That (his 66) was very, very good – very good.”

And so, of course, was his opening 67. They are the second and joint third best scores he has produced at Valderrama, widely accepted as Europe’s toughest test.

He cannot think of a course where he would rather be defending his Order of Merit lead – but Campbell admits he would much prefer to be somewhere else as he tries to turn the tables.

The Kiwi described Valderrama as “not one of my favourites” – he was last a year ago after a closing 82 – and would love to be back at Pinehurst, where he lifted the US Open in June.

He began the tournament needing a top-five finish at worst t have a hope of denying Montgomerie, but that became fourth because of the withdrawal of Darren Clarke to be with his wife Heather who is suffering from cancer.

It reduced the field to 54 and last place would be good enough for Montgomerie if Campbell came fifth tomorrow.

Clarke had rounds of 76 and 75 to be nine over par and joint 50th of the 55 competitors at the halfway stage, then said: “Valderrama is not the course to be playing when your mind is elsewhere.”