Reuters – Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie drew first blood in the race to become Europe's Number One for a record eighth time by grabbing a share of the lead after the first round of the Volvo Masters at Club de Golf Valderrama on Spain’s Costa del Sol.
The 42 year old Montgomerie, in a head to head joust with US Open Champion, Michael Campbell, to finish top of The European Tour Order of Merit, joined Volvo Masters title holder Ian Poulter of England on four under par 67.
New Zealander Campbell, €153,487 behind Montgomerie going into this week's final counting event, bogeyed the last hole to register a one over par 72.
A front nine of 32 gave Montgomerie the upper hand on playing partner Campbell, including an eagle two at the eighth when he holed out with his wedge from 111 yards.
The Scot, who will rack up his eighth Order of Merit crown if he stays ahead of Campbell, is erring on the side of caution despite his good start.
Montgomerie was understandably delighted - especially as he admitted to feeling anxious at the start. "That's understandable. Human nature," he said. "I've been playing well, but there was an anxiety and I got rid of that in the first three holes."
The rest of the round did not match the start, but at the last he birdied again and Campbell bogeyed. There will be no celebrating yet - "I won't be having a Freddie Flintoff" - but Montgomerie is feeling satisfied with his start.
He continued: "That's my second best score round here and I'm hitting it further, straighter, better than I've ever done."
Some of the thanks for that, he believes, goes to Bernhard Langer. He added: "If I hadn't been picked for the last Ryder Cup - I was 27th on the table and he took a risk - I would not be here now. It was crucial for my career. It was going in the opposite direction and he gave me the opportunity."
Campbell conceded the day to his rival but not the Order of Merit. "I played all right and Monty played some fantastic stuff," Campbell said. "But there's a long way to go. Three rounds over a fickle course such as this one can change things a lot. Anyone can make a double or triple bogey at the 17th, for instance."
Poulter is trying to do what he did 12 months ago. When the Ryder Cup player beat Sergio Garcia in a play-off, he continued his sequence of winning every year since his maiden victory in the 2000 Italian Open.
"I've put myself in a position where I can keep my record going," Poulter said. "I really don't care what the headlines are on Monday morning, whether Monty or Campbell wins, I'm just worrying about myself."
Garcia and fellow Spaniard José Maria Olazábal, whose first win in three years came at Sunday's Mallorca Classic, and England’s Luke Donald were one stroke off the lead. Swede Robert Karlsson and Steve Webster of England shared sixth place on 69.