Montgomerie opens 3 shot advantage

Colin Montgomerie, playing despite an injured back, shot an 8-under-par 64 Thursday to take a three-stroke lead after one round of the Volvo PGA Championship.

Montgomerie, whose back injury flared up during the last week's Deutsche Bank-SAP Open, pitched in from 35 yards for an eagle at No. 12, had nine birdies and three bogeys on the West Course at Wentworth.

Montgomerie, who lost to Tiger Woods on the third hole of a playoff at the Deutsche Bank on Monday, leads Andrew Coltart, Mark McNulty, Eduardo Romero and Steen Tinning, who opened with 67s.

Australia's Stephen Leaney aced the 184-yard 10th hole and joined Jose Maria Olazabal in a large group at 68.

Montgomerie first injured his back during the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth early in the year. He pulled out of a pro-am on Wednesday and played just five practice holes.

Press conference with the overnight leader Colin Montgomerie

Well they say there's no more dangerous golfer than an injured one and I'm delighted to be here at 8 under with a 64. The weather forecast for tomorrow and the weekend is bad and whilst I always maintain that 4 68's will generally win its very important to get a good start.

I'm sorry not to have spoken with you yesterday but I've not been well and really needed to get some treatment. I've been seeing an Osteopath in Fulham - he's brilliant but needs to do in 2 days what should take 6 weeks.

The best shot I hit today was a 5 iron at the fifth - I would normally have hit a six iron but that's been my game plan for the day - hit an iron one more than I would normally use.

My putting has gone well and my new technique on the putting has worked to good effect.

I was here at 6am this morning and I need those 2 hours to get my back working. I couldn't play a practice round yesterday I had to be with the osteopath - all I did was to walk a few holes and hit some chips and putts with Dennis Pugh, my coach.

This back condition is serious and I have to work on my stomach muscles developing the muscles - not just a six-pack! But I have a few years to work on it. If you have strong stomach muscles it supports the back. So I have to lose weight and get strong in the stomach. Otherwise my career will be shortened - simple as that.

My back is not aligned correctly and I've got 4 prolapsed disks at the bottom of my spine. I've got fluid leaking from them and it causes a great deal of pain. I've had to adapt my swing and release the club slightly earlier. The backswing is OK but the follow through is curtailed.

It's difficult sitting down and sleeping in a bed. For example on Monday night before the playoff in Germany with Tiger I didn't sleep at all and spent all night walking in my room. I felt that if I laid down my back would seize up completely.

I have to keep the blood flow going - that's what the massage is all about my back is inflamed and the massage helps reduce that. I've got to take this very seriously or my career will be shortened - I don't care what the Osteopath charges I just want to be able to play to my best ability. Swimming is an excellent way to ease the pain and to strengthen the back and the general physique.

I was delighted to take on Tiger last week and although I was pretty tired it was good to match him all the way. The last 2 four irons he hit were sublime- probably the best two shots I've ever seen - so good they seemed to occupy the same airspace.

I've changed my swing to take account of the problems with my back - I'll keep working with the Osteopath, the swimming and the massage and concentrate on building the stomach muscles instead of the Six-pack.

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