Play abandoned at Scottish Open

The golfing Gods looked down on Colin Montgomerie in Inverness today and decided to make it as hard as possible for him to qualify for next week’s Open.

Woken up at 4.30am by an almighty thunderclap, Montgomerie finally got back on the rain-soaked course at 7.30pm – but like everyone else did not hit a shot before play was abandoned for the day because of the conditions.

Long before then the decision had been taken to cut the tournament from 72 to 54 holes for the first time in its history.

And that was the last thing the eight-time European number one wanted to hear as he tries for the top-five finish he needs to extend his record of playing in every Open since 1989.

Montgomerie stood six under par overnight, joint 25th and five strokes behind his fellow Scots Peter Whiteford and Scott Jamieson and also Graeme McDowell.

“They are having a big, big laugh – I would be if I was one of them,” he said.

“I needed 72 and now I know there’s no Monday qualifier for The Open we should be playing (here) Monday.”

However, tournament director Mike Stewart stated: “We realised we were going to struggle with the weather today and the forecast is also poor for tomorrow.

“We just thought it was in the best interests of everyone concerned to reduce it to 54 holes.”

As he spoke, the greenkeeping staff remained hard at work trying to make the course playable and the conditions for spectators safe.

Two fans suffered broken legs on Friday and, because of a landslide during one of the overnight storms, it was decided not to allow the crowd to watch on five of the holes down by the Moray Firth.

“I have been up in this area for a long time,” added Montgomerie, “and we have courtesy car drivers who are 65 years old and haven’t seen the like of this before.

“None of us has. It’s very, very unfortunate for everyone concerned. A landslide – this land’s been here for ever and it’s never happened.

“This is extreme, incredible, just freak conditions, end of the world stuff.”

With possible start times being pushed back almost hourly from 2pm to 7.30pm eight players had seen enough, deciding to retire from the event with little or no hope of surviving the cut in any case.

Half the 156-strong field had been unable to complete their second rounds after Friday’s play was hit by two hold-ups.

As well as Montgomerie, they included Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, battling for the world number one spot again and both seven under par overnight.

“It’s unfortunate for us. the course will be very different – longer, softer and the balls will gather mud,” stated last year’s Ryder Cup captain, whose week at Celtic Manor last October did spill into a full day’s play on Monday because of rain.

“I’ve been 21 years without a break at The Open. It’s a proud record and I don’t want that record to break, but I’m running out of time now, especially with only a three-round event.”

Top five is make-or-break for him. There is no other way for him to be part of the action at Sandwich starting on Thursday.

Favourite for that spot was European Tour rookie Jamieson. McDowell and Whiteford had already secured their places.

The second round will now resume – weather permitting – at 7am, followed by the third and now final round.

Montgomery could at least see some humour in the situation, commenting as he left: “I’ve been in a hazard now for a day and a half.”

His first shot in the morning is from just beside the Moray Firth by the 10th green.