Horne leads as Brits falter

Unheralded South African Keith Horne led the field at the Abu Dhabi Championship as the big-name British challenge stuttered on the first day.

Colin Montgomerie, the highest-ranked Briton in the field at nine in the world, compiled an unconvincing level-par round of 72 which did not back up his claims that he was in his best form for a decade.

Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, playing alongside crowd favourite John Daly, struggled to a level par score – and David Howell, the current European Order of Merit leader, could manage only a 73.

Kenneth Ferrie, a member of the European team which beat Asia in the Royal Trophy two weeks ago, shot a three-over 75 – and with Nick Dougherty recording a 74, it left David Lynn as the best-placed Briton at three under par.

Starting on the back nine, Montgomerie birdied the 11th but dropped a shot at the next hole to drop back to level par; then he bogeyed two of his next three holes to drop to two over at the turn.

The Scot fought back with three birdies in four holes before ending his round with a bogey to complete an unsatisfactory day’s play for the eight-time European Order of Merit winner.

Lynn’s round of 69 included three birdies and was tarnished only by a bogey at the 13th.

British players were not the only big names struggling.

The billboards in the capital city carried the images of Thomas Bjorn, John Daly, Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh and Chris DiMarco, as well as Montgomerie.

All but Singh, DiMarco and Garcia had difficult days in the blustery conditions – with the Fijian world number two turning in a consistent four-under-par round of 68 which was one of the few not to contain a bogey.

Spaniard Garcia’s two birdies at the first two holes were spoiled by three dropped shots – leaving him one over at the turn.

But a rescue act saw the world number six notch birdies at the second, fourth and sixth to see him at minus two overnight.

American DiMarco, the world number 11, failed to strike up his usual rhythm and had to settle for a one-under-par round of 71.

The little-known Horne, at the event only after a top-five finish at the co-sanctioned South African Open in December, quietly set about compiling a blemish-free round of 66 – a new course record – which included three birdies on the front nine and three on the back.

Horne is two shots clear of Singh, Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina, Thai Thongchai Jaidee and Zimbabwe’s Marc Cayeux.

Damien McGrane is best placed of the Irish in joint ninth at two under. Both Peter Lawrie and Gary Murphy are further down the field at four over.