Montgomerie fightback keeps hat-trick bid 

alive with a 67 to lead at Woburn
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Colin Montgomerie remained on course to write another chapter in the golfing record books at Woburn by firing the lowest round of the week, a five under par 67, to battle back into contention for a third successive Travis Perkins Masters title.
The 52 year old Scot, bidding to become the first player to win the same tournament in three consecutive years on The European Tour and the Senior Tour, started the second round in 27th place but completed the recovery mission in dramatic style to snatch a one- shot lead going into the final day with a four under par total of 140.
Montgomerie created European Tour history by winning the prestigious PGA Championship at Wentworth Club from 1998 to 2000. Now, in his senior career, he is close to emulating that achievement in front of appreciative large crowds lining the Challenging Duke’s Course at Woburn.
“That score was the very least that I needed to get back into contention” beamed Montgomerie after holing a 35 foot putt from just off the final green for 67 and a one stroke lead over Spain’s Santiago Luna with a three-way tie for third between the Scottish pair of Bill Longmuir and Ross Drummond, Phil Golding of England and Argentinian Cesar Monasterio.
He added: “I wasn’t feeling great on the course yesterday and I had a terrible hour in the middle of my round where I dropped four shots in five holes which was just ridiculous. I turned a good start into a very poor round and it would have been easy to shoot 75, never mind 73.
“The difference today is that I holed a couple of what I call ‘momentum’ putts, especially at the tenth. I was three under par through the turn and got plugged in a bunker, came out to 30 feet and holed it. That was a momentum putt that kept me going and I had three more birdies from then on.”
The three-time Senior Major winner required 41 blows coming home in his first round, but trimmed seven strokes off that effort this time around. He admitted that the luck was with him at times in order to get his hat-trick challenge back on track.
“I hit poor tee shots at the 17th and 18th and played them in one under par. From where I was off the tee, I would have taken one over. But it’s not an easy finish and you have to make capital from these breaks and I did that. Now I am in contention and that was the aim at the start of the day.”
Montgomerie praised the support from outside the ropes as he tried to get his bid back on track. He said: “This is the eighth time Travis Perkins has sponsored the tournament here and it’s always been superbly supported. There were loads of people out there today and the event continues to be a great success.”
Luna, who tagged a 70 on to his opening 71, has won a title in each of his two full seasons on the Senior Tour, but admitted he hadn’t played well this year until consulting his fellow senior, José Rivero. He said: “I always turn to José if I need help and I also help him. I’ve developed a better ball flight from left to right, which you need on this course, and I’ve driven it fantastic this week.
“Now I am looking forward to going out with Monty in the last group. He’s usually out there leading from the front and I will enjoy trying to chase him tomorrow.”
Drummond was the only player in the field to reach five under par thanks to three birdies in the first 11 holes, but he slipped back into the pack on two under with three bogeys coming home. 
“I was a bit ragged after playing steadily for the first 11 holes” he said. “I went into bunkers on 13, 15 and 16 and paid the price. However, I am in a good position.”

SECOND-ROUND SCORES

 140 C Montgomerie  (Sco) 73 67,
 141 S Luna (Esp) 71 70,
 142 C Monasterio (Arg) 72 70, R Drummond (Sco) 70 72, T Thelen (USA) 69 73, P Golding (Eng) 72 70, B Longmuir (Sco) 69 73,
 143 J Spence (Eng) 72 71, R Gibson (Can) 75 68, P Fowler (Aus) 71 72, A Oldcorn (Sco) 73 70,
 144 G Brand Jnr (Sco) 74 70, J Carriles (Esp) 72 72, S Tinning (Den) 72 72, G Manson (Aut) 72 72, B Lane (Eng) 73 71,
 145 A Franco (Par) 72 73, M James (Eng) 72 73, M Martin (Esp) 72 73, A Forsbrand (Swe) 73 72, C Williams (RSA) 73 72,
 146 J Smith (USA) 74 72, P Eales (Eng) 71 75, C Mason (Eng) 72 74, N Job (Eng) 73 73, J Rivero (Esp) 72 74,
 147 P Mitchell (Eng) 74 73, L Zhang (Chn) 70 77, S Torrance (Sco) 75 72, A Murray (Eng) 73 74, G Wolstenholme (Eng) 72 75,
 148 P Wesselingh (Eng) 74 74, K Tarling (Can) 71 77, R Chapman (Eng) 70 78, M Mackenzie (Eng) 71 77, D Smyth (Irl) 77 71, M Davis (Eng) 72 76, A Bossert (Sui) 75 73,
 149 M Harwood (Aus) 75 74, J Gould (Eng) 74 75, P Walton (Irl) 72 77, J Remesy (Fra) 76 73,
 150 N Ratcliffe (Aus) 73 77, P O'Malley (Aus) 76 74, L Carbonetti (Arg) 73 77, D O'Sullivan (Irl) 77 73,
 151 R Sabarros (Fra) 76 75, M Farry (Fra) 72 79, B Cameron (Eng) 75 76, S Brown (Eng) 76 75, M Bianco (Ita) 77 74, M Mouland (Wal) 76 75,
 152 G Bell (Eng) 76 76, S McAllister (Sco) 72 80, P Linhart (Esp) 70 82, R Rafferty (Nir) 78 74,
 153 G Marks (Eng) 77 76, G Rusnak (USA) 76 77, C Rocca (Ita) 79 74, D J Russell (Eng) 78 75,
 154 J Quiros (Esp) 75 79, J Harrison (Eng) 76 78, A Sherborne (Eng) 75 79, G Ryall (Eng) 77 77,
 155 W Grant (Eng) 77 78,
 156 M Piñero (Esp) 77 79, P Broadhurst (Eng) 79 77,
 157 G Brand (Eng) 77 80, T Elliott (Aus) 76 81, G Emerson (Eng) 78 79,
 158 T Johnstone (Zim) 79 79,
 165 V Garcia (Esp) 85 80,


EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS