Monty equals his worst ever

Colin Montgomerie crashed out of the US PGA Championship at Oakland Hills last night, equalling the worst round of his major career.

Montgomerie posted an 84, equalling the score he carded at the 2002 Open Championship at Muirfield.

Following an opening-round, six-over-par 76 in Detroit on Thursday, the Scot racked up 10 bogeys, two doubles and no birdies for his nightmare 84.

“That’s the most difficult day since my poor score at Muirfield in 2002 – but the conditions added to that one,” said the Scot.

“Unfortunately, it was a reasonably good day today.

“I got off to a bad start and kept it going. When you get on a bogey run around here it’s very difficult to get off it. The course is very, very severe.”

Montgomerie thought the course bore little resemblance to the one he enjoyed so much glory on at the 2004 Ryder Cup.

“It’s set up as difficult as any course I’ve ever played, and nothing like the place that we came and did so well at four years ago.

“It’s very, very difficult.”

Montgomerie refused to contemplate his Ryder Cup fate following his round but pointedly said he was not planning on playing again until the final qualifying event at Gleneagles in three weeks’ time, the Johnnie Walker Championship.

“That’s furthest from my mind right now. Just let me get home this evening - and I’ll think about it later on.

“I wasn’t thinking about the Ryder Cup out there; I’m thinking about trying to play as well as I can around here.”

Also on his way out of Oakland Hills was Darren Clarke, who admitted he would not pick himself for the Ryder Cup after a disappointing US PGA Championship.

The Northern Irishman shot a second round of 76 for an 11-over-par 151 that missed the halfway cut.

Clarke was looking to force his way into captain Nick Faldo’s thinking as one of two picks for September’s Cup matches, but Oakland Hills dealt his hopes a crushing blow.

“I would struggle to pick myself at the moment,” he said.

“If I play well in those last couple of weeks and he was to pick me, then great – but I have to play well. That is the bottom line – and if I don’t I will be watching like everyone else.”