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Colin Montgomerie conquers his nemesis to shoot 65 and Tiger Woods is relieved to be six back.
©Associated Press
© St. Petersburg Times, published July 20, 2001
LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England -- The loudest cheers in the first round of the British Open came after Tiger Woods had left the course.
Even more unlikely was the guy accepting them.
Colin Montgomerie no longer wore a scowl and a slump in his shoulders. Left behind was all the other baggage he usually brings to a British Open. In its place was a confident smile that got wider when a 40-foot birdie dropped on the final hole to a deafening ovation.
"Let us hope they will be cheering as much the rest of the week," he said.
A 6-under 65 at breezy Royal Lytham & St. Annes gave him a three-stroke lead Thursday and legitimate hopes that he can win his first major championship -- even the one that has tormented him for 11 years.
"It has always been catch-up. Now, I seem to be in the lead," Montgomerie said. "The whole psyche of the championship changes for me."
Montgomerie's best round and best start at the British Open left him ahead of Brad Faxon, Chris DiMarco and former British Amateur champion Mikko Ilonen of Finland.
Better yet, he was six ahead of Woods.
Woods failed to break par in the opening round at his fourth straight tournament, spending much of the day slashing out of the rough, getting reacquainted with bunkers and dropping clubs in disgust.
He had 71 and figured it could have been worse.
"At least I got it around where I was at even par," Woods said. "I did not put myself out of the tournament."
On a cool, breezy day that wasn't nearly as vicious as it started out, 33 players broke par and more than 80 were no worse than 2 over.
"Tiger is only three off second place," Montgomerie said. "There's nothing wrong with that score, at all."
David Duval was in a large group at 69 that included Jesper Parnevik and two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal.
Another stroke back was Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson, who had another wild round -- back-to-back eagles, three birdies and the mistakes that have hounded him in the majors this year. Mickelson was 3 under through 13 holes and had only three pars.
Ernie Els and Bernhard Langer, who nearly withdrew with bad backs, were at 71.
"It was not impossible out there," Faxon said. "Everybody has a chance. It's not just one guy, one type of game."
Still, the deep rough and 196 bunkers at Royal Lytham inflicted damage.
U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen played the last five holes in 5 over for 74. Nick Faldo went from 3 under to 2 over in a span of four holes and had 75.
"It's difficult to keep smiling," Ian Woosnam said after 72. "It's just hard work."
Montgomerie always thought his best chance to win a major would be the U.S. Open or PGA Championship because of the premium on accuracy, and the 38-year-old Scot has lost a playoff in each of them.
The British Open never came to mind.
Montgomerie has missed the cut in five of his past nine Opens and had gone 11 straight rounds without breaking 70. His best position after the first round was a tie for 11th at Carnoustie in 1999, when he shot 74.
"I can't believe he hasn't done this earlier," Parnevik said. "This should be the perfect tournament for him. But he definitely has the ability. Everyone knows that."
Montgomerie's best round was 5-under 65 in the third round at Turnberry in 1994, but all that did was let him sneak off with his only top-10 finish in golf's oldest championship.
"To score this is a real bonus for me," he said. "I will be a lot more confident standing on the first tee tomorrow than I was today, knowing that I can do it.
"Very rarely do you dream about Thursdays at the Open," he said. "Sundays are the good ones, and we'll see what happens."
A good start was crucial to Montgomerie's chances, and he helped himself by making birdie putts on the first two holes. He chipped in for eagle on No. 6, and birdie putts of 10 and 5 feet gave him a 30 on the front nine.
The cheers grew louder with each birdie, and soon the enormous gallery following Woods pulled away to watch the local star.
"The crowds are behind me, which is a huge, huge bonus," Montgomerie said.
Woods got off to a great start, making an 18-foot birdie putt on the opening hole and giving himself a 12-foot chance on the second hole that just missed.
That was as good as it got.
"It wasn't easy out there," Woods said.
WHEN: Today-Sunday.
PURSE: $4.62-million ($840,000 to winner).
TV: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. today, ESPN; 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sunday, Ch. 28.