Monty moves into the mixer

Colin Montgomerie today launched an impressive last ditch attempt to win an automatic spot in next month’s US Open at Bethpage.

The 45-year-old Scotsman, ranked 182nd in the world, has a date at Walton Heath on Monday already written into his diary. There he is expected to play in a 36-hole international qualifier to play in the year’s second major.

But after a run of four birdies in his first six holes of the third round in the BMW Championship at Wentworth Montgomerie found himself challenging for the lead.

And should he win the title for the fourth time in his long career Montgomerie will get his ticket to Bethpage courtesy of a new regulation introduced by the US authorities.

The ranking points on offer to the winner would only take him to the cusp of the top 50 in the world who are automatically invited to the US Open when that category of entries closes tomorrow night.

But the £667,000 (€757,092) winner’s cheque would take him into the top 10 in the Race to Dubai and there are five US Open places available to the top five players not otherwise exempt. In previous years there were only two.

With light winds the only hazard on a sunny day in Surrey the scoring at Wentworth this morning was generally lower than it had been on the first two days with Ulsterman Graeme McDowell posting an early 68 just 48 hours after fearing that an attack of shin splints could force him into a six week lay off.

As Montgomerie reached six-under to close to within two shots of the overnight leader Paul Casey there was another challenge launched by local boy Nick Dougherty.

Dougherty, who lives just around the corner from Wentworth, picked up six birdies to move into joint second place alongside Montgomerie, only to slip back a place when he bogeyed the par-four 15th hole.