Stephen Allan of Australia kept the heavyweights of the European Tour at bay with an opening round of 65, seven under par, in the Victor Chandler British Masters at Woburn Golf and Country Club.
The 25 year old from Melbourne collected seven birdies to lead the field by two strokes on the Tour’s return to the popular Duke’s Course after an absence of five years.
However a glance in Allan’s rear view mirror would reveal some big names lurking just off the pace. Colin Montgomerie, who won the title at Marriott Forest of Arden last year, opened with a polished 67. Bernhard Langer, still hurting from his Ryder Cup omission, eased his way round in 68 and was joined on that mark by Lee Westwood.
Montgomerie, winner of four events in Europe this season and Westwood, winner of his last three starts, still have some work to do to overhaul Allan, who captured his first title on the European Tour, the German Open, last year.
Allan admitted he arrived at Woburn on a low ebb, having missed the cut in the Canon European Masters and playing poorly in practice on Tuesday. He said: “I liked Woburn as soon as I stepped on the first tee. It’s a quality golf course; probably one of the best we play all year.
“When I first came here I didn’t have much confidence at all but as the Pro-Am progressed I played better and better and started off really well today with three birdies.”
Montgomerie didn’t make a mistake either and showed that a week at home hadn’t blunted his competitive edge. He played with his children while Westwood was winning in Switzerland and said: “I thought it was a very good effort by Lee last week. He was £470,000 behind but he went out there and won and all credit to him.”
Montgomerie was one of five players on 67. Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark briefly threatened the course record when he was eight under after 14 but three bogeys cost him that opportunity.
He had to settle for 67 along with Montgomerie, Stephen Leaney of Australia, England’s Steve Webster and Italian Silvio Grappasonni.
Langer, overlooked as a possible wild card by Mark James for his Ryder Cup side, conceded he still feels pained by the captain’s decision to select Andrew Coltart instead.
He commented: “It seemed that the general consensus that I would be a wild card. I thought I had a good chance. I was somewhat disappointed –a lot disappointed. It takes a little bit of time to get over it because it was one of my goals.
“I was fairly close but not close enough. However I don’t live in the past. I am someone who forgets the past and lives for the future. It’s no good living in the past. I’m over it.”
