Montgomerie set for first win of year

Colin Montgomerie shot a third round 65 on Saturday, after a lightning strike by players at Le National course, to capture the French Open lead and put himself in sight of his first title of the year.

The Scot's seven-under-par score was completed after his playing partner Miguel Angel Martin refused to carry on when he heard thunder.

Despite going into water at the last Montgomerie, European number one for the seventh successive year in 1999, picked up a shot on his return to the course after a one-hour stoppage with a birdie on the 17th.

"I felt good right from the first hole and it wasn't just my putting which was good. My all-round game was good and this is my best round of the year," Montgomerie said.

Montgomerie's 12-under-par 204 put him one stroke ahead of New Zealand's Michael Campbell and Englishman Jonathan Lomas.

The pair, playing behind Montgomerie, both bogeyed the 17th when they resumed their rounds but birdied the last for 69s.

They are two strokes ahead of the 48-year-old Australian Rodger Davis, Scotland's Andrew Coltart and one of the second round leaders, Fernando Roca of Spain.

Montgomerie trailed joint second round leaders Roca, Jarmo Sandelin and Anders Hansen by four strokes when the weather-interrupted second round finished in the morning.

But his opening nine of only 31 shots, five-under-par, took him to the top of the leaderboard as the leading trio faded.

A birdie on the long 14th left him sharing the lead by the 17th when the players came in for lightning, and his five-wood approach to the penultimate green took him clear.

"I began the third round very relaxed," said Montgomerie, "and that was because my wife came in yesterday afternoon and it does relax me when I can go out for dinner with her instead of looking at the four walls of my room.

"I'm on course now for my first win. The first round wasn't so good but the last two days have gone well.

"I've done what I set out to do and got into position for the last round. I did the same last week but shot a 71, so let's hope I can do better than that this time.

"As far as the stoppage went, Miguel wanted to come in so that's your lot, you have to as well.

Campbell, looking to make it five wins this season and three European Tour successes, found staying with Montgomerie a tough task. His bogey at the 17th was his only blemish around four birdies.

Lomas ran in three successive birdies after bogeying the first, picked up a shot at the ninth to share the lead, but then had an erratic back nine with three birdies but three bogeys.

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