Monty blitzes back nine to make cut

A double hat-trick of birdies lifted Colin Montgomerie's sagging spirits in the second round of the Bellsouth Classic in Atlanta yesterday.

He was up at the crack of dawn to complete a fog-delayed first round 72 and followed with a 68, blitzing the back nine in 31.

Monty has struggled with his putting all year and his head dropped when he missed from five feet at the sixth and from just over a yard at the eighth.

But suddenly his putter caught fire and he birdied the next three holes before finishing with another hat- trick to ensure an active weekend in his final event before next week's US Masters at Augusta.

"I had bad problems for 27 holes - in fact for the whole year - and it is amazing how it can turn around," said Monty, who broke 70 for only the second time since arriving in America a month ago.

He added: "I suppose I must have wished the ball into the hole. I am not doing anything very much different and it is difficult to explain why the ball suddenly started going in. I only had three birdies before the back nine and then I had six - it's amazing."

Montgomerie desperately wants a US tour win and he acknowledged that he maybe kept waiting again with his four-under-par 140 leaving him five shots behind American Duffy Waldorf, who had still to begin his second round in ideal scoring conditions.

"I am in a weak position and I have to attack," he said. "I will aim for every pin and I won't be leaving any putts short that's all I can do."

Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal made an early departure for Augusta with his 72 for a two-over 146 comfortably missing the half way cut.

"I would do anything to get my confidence back, except shoot myself," said the 1994 Masters champion.