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Montgomerie back on song with 63

Colin Montgomerie fired a course-record eight-under-par 63 at Fota Island to take a two-shot lead after Thursday's opening round of the Irish Open. Ireland's own Eamonn Darcy and Fredrik Henge of Sweden share second place with 65s.

The Scot, who turned 38 last weekend, set the first-round record for any Irish Open venue and also matched his own career mark for lowest opening 18-hole score in a tournament. He led off with a 63 at the 1992 European Masters.

"It was a good day’s work but I don’t really pay much attention to these records," said Montgomerie, the seven-time Order of Merit champion who is still without a European Tour victory in 2001. "I just go out and do the best I can and it was really good today."

After birdieing four of his first seven holes, Montgomerie missed the green and dropped a shot at the eighth. He picked up four strokes over the next three holes, gaining two shots to par with a 30-foot eagle putt at the 500- yard 10th.

Montgomerie's drive into a fairway bunker at the 16th led to another bogey, but he erased the mistake and then some with a five-iron to four feet for eagle at the par-five home hole.

"I like playing here, I’ve always enjoyed it," said Monty, the 1996 and '97 winner of this event when it was held at Druids Glen. "The people are great and the support I have, it’s like playing in Scotland. It’s very good, excellent."

Darcy was bogey-free for Thursday's round, which included three birdies on each nine. The 48-year-old, four-time winner (he won his first title in 1977 and his last in 1990) lost his playing card last season after finishing 137th on the Order of Merit.

The 26-year-old Henge is looking to improve upon his career-best showing -- a tie for 19th at the 1998 Portuguese Open. He has made only five cuts in 16 starts this season, with his highest finish joint 21st at the Madeira Island Open in March.

Henge seemed to benefit from some advice offered by his girlfriend and part- time caddie, Jenny, who noticed his right shoulder was too low as he addressed the ball.

"She’s not really a golfer, but I asked her what she thought of my swing and she told me," Henge said. "I’m glad she did now because I only hit about five or six shots on the range after that and then took it onto the course and it worked well."

Henge teed off on the 10th and was quick out of the gate with three straight birdies. He bogeyed the 15th but returned to birdie holes 18, five and six for his six-under-par score.

Dubai Desert Classic winner Thomas Bjorn of Denmark carded a five-under 66 to tie for fourth with Norway's Henrik Bjornstad and England's Gary Evans.

Dublin's Padraig Harrington and Scotland's Andrew Coltart, last week's Great North Open victor, are part of a nine-way tie at four-under 67.

Despite an eagle on the 18th, defending champion Patrick Sjoland of Sweden still finished the day 10 shots off Montgomerie's pace with a 73.

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