Monty in the hunt despite poor finish

Johnnie Walker Championship: Colin Montgomerie's hopes of hitting back from his US Open agony with a first win of the year are very much alive - despite another closing six in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles yesterday.

After the double-bogey that cost him a first major title on Sunday, Montgomerie this time ran up a bogey on a 533-yard hole where there were a number of eagles during the opening round.

But on the eve of his 43rd birthday the Scottish star still handed in a five-under-par 68 and is only three behind Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, who after what happened in the 2003 British Open can appreciate better than most how Montgomerie must be feeling.

A comment to a fan coming off the first green said it all really as the round began. After pitching to four feet and making the birdie putt the spectator offered a cheery "Well done" to Montgomerie as he walked by.

"Bit better than my last hole, wasn't it?" replied the eight-time European number one, now the holder of an additional record - most runner-up finishes in majors without winning one.

Afterwards he commented: "It was quite difficult to get my focus. Every shot I hit I thought about the last one there (in New York). I won't get it out of my system for a long, long time. I might never get it out of my system. If I never win a major that will remain with me - of course it will."

Montgomerie birdied the first two holes, in fact, and stood on the final tee six under and joint second. But he misjudged the wind for his pitch and then failed to get up and down from the bunker over the green.

Bjorn had sympathy for Montgomerie, saying: "Things happen in golf. I know that as much as the next guy. He played magnificently and I think every player on this tour feels very much for him."

Bjorn had no expectations of making the start he did after his experience in the pro-am. His first visit to the course was played in gale-force winds and rain and he said: "I didn't see anything but my shoes - I kept my head down. There was nothing but horrors out there. It was difficult to see anything under 80. Some of the holes were almost impossible."

Come the event proper, however, the wind had dropped and while it was still far from easy he raced to an incredible nine under after 11 holes and at that point led by six.

It was the stuff of dreams, but then Bjorn woke up and played the last seven in one over, allowing England's Paul Casey, South African Andrew McLardy and Argentina's Andres Romero to finish the day only two behind in joint second.

Paul McGinley began his climb out of a mini-slump with a three-under-70, but best of the Irish is Stephen Browne in fifth place after a five-under-par 68.

Peter Lawrie fired a 71, Gary Murphy 72, David Higgins 74, Damien McGrane 75 and Michael Hoey a 78.

Meanwhile, the finish of the tournament this Sunday is being brought forward so that fans can turn their attention to the World Cup and cheer for England - or Ecuador, of course.

Original plans were for the event to reach its climax at 5pm, an hour after the kick-off in Stuttgart. But organisers have decided that the final round will be completed at around 3.45pm.