Montgomerie storms into lead

Colin Montgomerie takes his second shot at the 18th on his way to lead the Volvo PGA Championship. Allsport

Colin Montgomerie blasted his way to the front of the Volvo PGA Championship with an incredible display that saw him move to 12-under-par at Wentworth.

Europe's leading money winner for the past seven years, who is bidding to become the first man to win the title three times in a row, was forced to finish his first round along with 96 others this morning after the opening days play was cut short because of rain. And within an hour he was back on the course for the start his second round.

But the gruelling days play had little affect on the big Scotsman, who moved onto the heels of overnight leader Nick O’Hern with a five-under-par 67 to finish his first round and then a second round of seven-under, 65, saw him blitz his rivals away and open up a four shot lead.

Monty's playing partners in the second round, Sergio Garcia and the current Order of Merit leader Darren Clarke, were simply blown away by the awesome 36-year-old, who was an unbelievable 10-under for his day's work.

And the score could have been even more emphatic for Monty had he not parred the last two holes which were both par-fives - for the second time in succession - that left him bitterley disappointed, especially when he missed a simple birdie chance at the last.

"I'll go away from here after a great day disappointed," he said. "If it happended on the 7th I would have a had a chance to retrieve the situation. Instead of going away from the field I've let people come back to me and that's a mistake - I won't do that tomorrow.

He added: "For the first seven holes I was on cruise control and played as well as I ever have round here. There is still a lot of pressure on me and people's expectations puts pressure on you. But to come here and shoot 12-under for the first two days is great. I'll drive home now and get today out of my system and hopefully get a score in the 60's tomorrow."

Clarke and Andrew Colthard are four shots behind Monty in second place on eight-under. Clarke, who carded a four-under 68 when he finished his opening round this morning, ended his second round with an eagle and a birdie for another 68, while Colthart added a 68 to his first round of 67.

Clarke commented: "Monty played fantastic, he hit the ball great and when he gets on a roll like that, that's why he's in the position in the world he is.

"He was a long way ahead and I had to keep grinding it out and wait for something to happen. Fortunately, it did."

Coltart added: "I feel I've done very well, so Monty must have played fantastically. The way he is setting the pace it's looking as though he could go through his record score last year. But there's a long way to go."

Colin Montgomerie returned to the Wentworth course early on Saturday morning as one of 96 players forced to complete their first round after the washout of the first day, and moved right onto the heels of overnight leader Nick O’Hern with a five-under-par 67.

The score leaves the Scot in joint second place alongside compatriot Andrew Coltart, two shots back from O’Hern. Within an hour, the European number one was back out on the course again to begin his second round.

Monty, bidding to become the first man to win the title three times in a row, was two under through seven when rain forced play to be abandoned on Friday and his dawn resumption saw him pick up birdies at each of the remaining par fives – the 12th, 17th and 18th.

As he hurried off to prepare himself for the second round Montgomerie paused only to say: "That's a perfectly satisfactory start.

"I'm playing OK and the greenkeeping staff did a great job to get us playing at all."

Ten greenkeepers had worked through the night to ensure the surface water was cleared to allow play, but the ground was so sodden that officials decided to introduce preferred lies for the second round.

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