Montgomerie pulls out of Open with hand injury

Colin Montgomerie's hopes of finally winning a Major ended after seven holes on Thursday when he abandoned in the first round of the British Open with a hand injury.

Montgomerie was four over after seven holes when he decided enough was enough and called for a golf cart to take him back to the clubhouse. He bogeyed the first and second and was in big trouble hacking away in deep rough on the sixth where he dropped two strokes.

Montgomerie, who has suffered from a chronically bad back the last few years, has been struggling for form of late dropping out of the world top twenty.

He told BBC television that a hand injury sustained the day before had been the reason for his withdrawal.

"The only reason I gave it a go was because it was the British Open," he said.

"I just had no authority through the ball. It's just one of those things. It's disappointing because I was swinging the club very well and the course is set up well for me. I will just have to try again on the home course next year."

Despite topping the European Order of Merit for a record seven straight years, Montgomerie has never won a Major though he came desperately close twice in the US Open and once in the USPGA

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