Howell sets opening pace with 66

Colin Montgomerie was given an ovation on the first tee on Thursday on his way to making a par-72 start to the British Masters.

It was the Scot's first tournament since the announcement a week ago of the break-up of his marriage.

"I'll remember this day for a long, long time," said Montgomerie after finishing the day six strokes behind first-round leader, fellow Briton David Howell.

"I came here with very low expectations but walking on the first tee was a delight for me; the support was fabulous.

"Then I was able to put all the other parts of my life aside and get on with my job, which is what I do best. It was nice to have my phone turned off for five or six hours."

Montgomerie played with Lee Westwood and Nick Faldo, but he said the thrice-married Faldo had not offered any marital advice on his split with wife Eimear.

Montgomerie received plenty of backing from the gallery as he fought back from early bogeys.

He said: "I think the golfing world, the golfing spectators and whoever is involved in golf, wish me well, I suppose. It seemed that way today."

But Montgomerie's third success at the Forest of Arden course looks distant and his first concern is making the cut and keeping up his bid for a Ryder Cup automatic team place.

A flawless 66 from 1999 Dubai Desert Classic winner Howell with six birdies, earned him a one-stroke lead over veteran Argentine Eduardo Romero, New Zealand's Michael Campbell, South African Trevor Immelman and two more Britons, Andrew Coltart and Kenneth Ferrie.

Romero bogeyed the last to deny himself a place on top but he can become the oldest player to win a European Tour title if the Cordoban pulls off his ninth victory.

On Sunday he will be 49 and 297 days, compared to Irishman Des Smyth at 48 years 34 days when he won the 2001 Madeira Island Open.

Romero is also trying for Argentina's World Cup team and if he makes it in November when he will be over 50, he will be the oldest to play in that competition in recent times.

Two former major champions, Jose Maria Olazabal, looking to end a run of two missed cuts, and Retief Goosen, four-under-par going out and four-over coming home, had to settle for 72s.

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