GOLF/Scottish PGA Championship: Colin Montgomerie has had innumerable rounds in the region of par lately that have left him more than a little disgusted and uncommunicative, but he rated his level-par 72 in the swirling wind in Gleneagles yesterday as an achievement of considerable magnitude.

After his battle against the elements the Scot, his geniality restored, called it "one of the best 72s I've put together in a long, long time".

Montgomerie's score, his first competitive outing on the PGA Centenary course, left him two shots off the lead and level with a group that included last year's winner Adam Scott.

The Australian should have finished well clear of Montgomerie but somehow took four putts on his final green. He rolled his first effort five feet past from 20 feet away, his next attempt scampered two feet past and he did not even touch the hole from there.

Montgomerie and Scott are two strokes behind the low-profile trio of Brad Kennedy, a virtually unknown Australian, and two better-known but far from illustrious Scots, Alastair Forsyth and Marc Warren. Their 70s left the leaderboard headed for the first time this season by a score not in the 60s.

Gary Murphy leads the Irish challenge with a one over par 73 with Damien McGrane, Philip Walton and Graeme McDowell a shot back on 74.

Six bogeys left Paul McGinley with work to do to make the cut after a round of 76, Ronan Rafferty is on 78 while the strong winds took Paul Lawrie to a 10 over par 82.

After missing cuts at the Wales Open and the British Masters' Montgomerie hit his target of playing all four rounds at last week's US Open and yesterday was another step towards rehabilitation.

It also helped in his long-term preparations for next month's British Open at Royal St George's although, recalling his 84 at windy Muirfield in the third round last year, he said he would not be praying for wind at Sandwich just because he played well in it here. "I'd like it flat calm, thank you," he said.

Kirsty Taylor continued her purple patch yesterday when she shot an opening 69 in the French Open to finish the day one shot off the lead. Defending champion Lynnette Brooky joins Sweden's Malin Burstrom and Australian Rebecca Stevenson at the top of the leaderboard at four under par. Ireland's Yvonne Cassidy is well down the field on 83. - Guardian Service