Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie claimed a share of the lead with local favourite, Peter Lonard, after the second round of the Heineken Classic at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Victoria, Australia as South African Ernie Els moved ominously into contention for an unprecedented fourth successive victory.
Montgomerie, tied second in his defence of his Caltex Masters, presented by Carlsberg, Singapore 2005, last weekend, fired a flawless 65 for a nine under par halfway total of 133.
Lonard, chasing his first success on The European Tour International Schedule, shot a 68 to move alongside Montgomerie, with first round co-leader, Trevor Immelman of South Africa, a shot behind on eight under alongside 23 year old Australian rookie Jarrod Lyle, who led with six holes to play before two late bogeys toppled him from that lofty pinnacle.
Els, after an opening 72 on the course where he began with a 60 the previous year, signed for a 64 to finish the day tied for eighth on six under par, just three off the pace.
In the process, Els made his 57th consecutive cut on The European Tour to move into second place for cuts behind behind Germany’s Bernhard Langer, who recorded 69 between 1991 and 1996.
Despite recent torrential rain in Melbourne, the greens remained slick and Montgomerie, as well as his six birdies, made some vital par saving putts. He said: "It's always nice to score well around this golf course, I enjoy playing here. I came here playing well and have continued to do so. Let's hope I can last another couple of days and we will see what happens."
The 41 year old ended 2004 ranked 81st in the world but is determined to get back inside the top 25 by the end of 2005, and feels he is rediscovering the sort of form which saw him win the European Tour Order of Merit for seven years in succession.
"I've played one tournament and I'm leading the driving accuracy and greens in regulation categories and that's what I used to do seven years in a row. For the last three or four years I haven't and that's what has caused the problem. If I hit the fairways I'm going to hit the greens and all I have to do is hole four or five putts.
"It's all very easy on paper - unfortunately it's not played on paper - but that's what I used to and I used to do it quite well."
Els began the day one over par and in danger of missing the cut, but birdied three of the first five holes and dropped just one shot.
"I just wanted to make the cut, to be honest," said the World Number Three. "I had a bit of work left to do and it was a good little pressure exercise. I just wasn't on my game yesterday, I missed a lot of putts and was a bit out of sorts. I'm still struggling to hit the ball at the flags, I'm so used to bouncing them into the green.
"I've been coming here for five years and never seen the course so soft, it's tough to adjust to. But it was a good, grinding 64."
Already a dual winner in his native Australia over the winter, Lonard looked set to race clear when he eagled the second and also made birdie at the seventh to draw level with Montgomerie, but he then bogeyed the eighth and tenth, and needed further birdies at the 11th and 16th holes to finish with a 68 to share the lead at the end of a fascinating day’s play.
