Monty leads PGA Seniors Championship with course record 63 (-9) at London Golf Club

Colin Montgomerie leads the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship at the end of Day One after he carded a course-record nine-under-par round of 63 at London Golf Club.

The three-time Senior Major winner holed nine birdies without a dropped shot as he recorded his lowest round since he joined the Staysure Tour to lead the Championship by one shot ahead of the 2017 John Jacobs Trophy winner Clark Dennis.

The Scot started strong with a birdie on the first before further gains on the fifth and eighth holes, as well as an important par save on the ninth. The victorious 2010 Ryder Cup Captain kicked on immediately after the turn with four successive birdies to take the outright lead.

Two birdies on two of his final three holes extended his advantage as he goes in search of the history books. Montgomerie could become the second player in history to win the PGA Seniors Championship and the Seniors PGA Championship alongside the late Peter Thomson.

With lush fairways and sun-kissed greens, a low score was achievable for Montgomerie as he looks for his second Staysure Tour title of the season after success at the Shipco Masters promoted by Simon’s Golf Club in June.  

“It was a very good round – no bogies, nine birdies,” he said. “I always enjoy playing with Paul McGinley and I usually play quite well with him. There was a good rhythm and we played well together.

“The course was set up lovely and the conditions were super. We were out early, the greens were good, and there wasn’t any wind. There were opportunities to score today.

“The run of birdies after the turn was great, but the real turning point was actually at the ninth. I was making a mess of the ninth after birding the eighth but got up and down from 40 yards. That helped me keep my momentum going as I birdied ten, 11, 12 and 13. If I hadn’t parred nine I wouldn’t have shot 63, so the par at nine was the crucial hole.”

American Dennis finished late in the afternoon but finished in style as he carded a seven under par back nine to add to his one under par front nine. The recent Senior Italian Open presented by Villaverde Resort champion carded four consecutive birdies after the turn before he ended birdie-eagle to jump up to second.

“Finishing birdie-eagle was very nice. I got off to a slow start but had a blazing finish on the back nine,” he said. “It’s a very good golf course. The way the weather has been it’s running very fast, so it’s playing very short. The par fives are all reachable and it makes scoring very attainable.”

Peter Baker and Jarmo Sandelin also came in strong as they shot rounds of 65, seven under par, to sit two strokes behind Montgomerie as part of the chasing pack.

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