Colin Montgomerie admitted he was relieved to complete his weather-affected second round ‘unscathed’ after setting the clubhouse target of six under par in the Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex.
Montgomerie was two under par through 12 holes in persistent heavy rain on Friday, before waterlogged greens meant play was abandoned for the day. The Scot returned in better conditions on Saturday morning and picked up a shot on the 14th hole before posting four straight pars for a second consecutive round of 67 at Sunningdale Golf Club.
With a group of six players, including defending champion Bernhard Langer and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jiménez, beginning their second rounds on five under par, Montgomerie was glad to post a score and head back to his hotel to watch his rivals play in windier conditions, which he believes will make the Old Course a tougher test.
“The first 12 holes there were miserable yesterday,” said the 2010 European Ryder Cup Captain. “It didn't let up and everyone's saying the same. And this morning you come out and it's cold and windy and the course is different.
“It's like playing two different rounds really. But I’m glad I got in okay. Glad I got unscathed today.
“I wanted to come in one under from 13 in and I did that. Yesterday, for instance, the last hole, was a three-wood wedge. Today, it is a driver, four-iron. It's a different golf course, a completely different golf course, and a good one. It is a really tough test. With the wind blowing now, the breeze up, it will be an even tougher test this afternoon.”
Montgomerie is bidding for his fourth Senior Major Championship, following back-to-back victories in the US Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, and last year’s US Senior Open. He was satisfied with the progress made following the restart.
“I've made inroads,” he said. “I said, let's hope my 67 the first day was the worst score of the week and hopefully it's proving that. I need a couple of good scores, I know I do.
“There's a bunch of good players that shot five under out there the first day, and they are going to do something. I've just got to make inroads this evening and of course tomorrow morning and tomorrow afternoon. But it's a long week, another one, another R&A week that has been disrupted terribly by the weather, by the good British summer. Shame.”
