Monty hurt by poor finish

Colin Montgomerie had just two words to say to waiting reporters after a disappointing end to a promising round at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth today.

Just for the record they were: “Finished badly.”

Relieved to be still competing in the event, the three-time winner of the title had earlier moved up from 60th to 23rd with four birdies in his first 12 holes.

But Montgomerie bogeyed the 15th, ran up a six on the long 17th to drop another stroke and then three-putted the last for a par five.

It added up to a two under par 70 and a level par aggregate of 216 which left him eight adrift of overnight leaders Justin Rose and Angel Cabrera, who had yet to resume.

At lunchtime yesterday Montgomerie appeared to be heading out – for the first time since his 1989 debut – when he finished on two over par.

But at 7.30pm last night it became clear that his two closing birdies had squeezed him into the closing 36 holes of the European Tour’s flagship event with nothing to spare.

Ernie Els, another who had a 76 yesterday and has never fared worse than that on the course, promised great things as well when he eagled the 552-yard fourth to leap to two under.

But the South African, who has toughened up the West Course in the last two years, then had a nightmare run of holes.

After bogeying the sixth he slumped to a triple bogey on the next and a double bogey at the ninth.

That triple bogey seven came when he hit his second into a bunker, went over the green from there and saw his attempted chip back roll back down the slope in front of him.

By turning in 39 Els found himself four over par, but he did then have his second eagle of the day on the 12th, the hole which has brought most critical comments this week.

Montgomerie’s playing partner Jeev Milkha Singh and Australian Richard Green both showed what was possible by handing in 67s to improve from two over to three under.

And Lee Westwood was up to four under and joint 13th spot when he birdied the second, fourth and sixth.

Rose and 2005 winner Cabrera led by a stroke at eight under from host club member Ross Fisher and Australian Marcus Fraser.