Colin Montgomerie had a blistering back nine in the first round of the ACE Group Classic on the Champions Tour, notching five birdies in eight holes for a six under par 66.
The 2014 Senior Tour Order of Merit winner leads by one shot from Tommy Armour III at TwinEagles Golf Club in Naples, Florida.
After rolling in a 40-foot putt for birdie at the first, Montgomerie then had a string of pars before his round came alive on the way home, although he admitted he came close to running out of patience before his hot streak of birdies.
“This is what caddies are paid for, to actually tell you to be patient,” said the 51 year old. “Then you almost hit them over the head because you've got three rounds, not four, and patience never won a thing in a three round event. A four round event is different, but in a three round event, you can't afford to be patient, you've got to go for it.
“So I’m delighted with 66, it's a good start.”
Montgomerie’s Scottish compatriot Sandy Lyle opened with a two under par 70, one better than Germany’s Bernhard Langer, who won five times on the Champions Tour last season.
