CLARK TAKES CONTROL

Tim Clark holed a birdie on the final hole of his third round to take a two-stroke advantage into the final day of the Crowne Plaza Invitational.

The South African began the day at Colonial Country Club one shot behind overnight leader Steve Stricker, but moved ahead of his playing partner after firing a four-under 66 to reach 17 under for the tournament.

Clark birdied two of his first three holes on the Fort Worth course to draw level with Stricker, who birdied the second, but trailed again after dropping his only shot of the day on the seventh.

But consecutive birdies on the 10th and 11th helped the South African to edge ahead before his fifth birdie of the day put him two shots ahead of Stricker, Steve Marino and Australian Jason Day.

Having been a runner-up to Phil Mickelson at Colonial last year, Clark is eyeing his maiden win on the PGA Tour.

"I had a great final round last year. I'm going to need that again," said Clark, who has been a runner-up on six occasions.

"I'm in a different position being in the last group. I just have to stay calm."

Marino fired eight birdies for a tournament-best 62 to join Day (65) and Stricker (69) in a three-way tie for second on 15 under.

Vijay Singh was alone in fifth on 13 under after carding a 69 with Justin Leonard (64) and Woody Austin (67) tied for sixth a further shot back.

Paul Casey is the leading British player after firing a four under 66 to join Sean O'Hair in a tie for eighth on 11 under while Ian Poulter (65) and Luke Donald (69) are in a five-way tie for 10th.

Collated third round scores & totals in the USPGA Tour Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Colonial CC, Fort Worth, Texas, United States of America

(USA unless stated, par 70):

193 Tim Clark (Rsa) 63 64 66

195 Steve Stricker 63 63 69, Steve Marino 66 67 62, Jason Day (Aus) 65 65 65

197 Vijay Singh (Fij) 64 64 69

198 Justin Leonard 66 68 64, Woody Austin 63 68 67

199 Paul Casey (Eng) 66 67 66, Sean O'Hair 65 64 70

200 Kevin Na 66 68 66, Zach Johnson 69 67 64, Ted Purdy 69 65 66, Ian Poulter (Eng) 66 69 65, Luke Donald (Eng) 68 65 67

201 Jeff Overton 69 67 65, Lucas Glover 70 65 66, Kevin Sutherland 66 67 68

202 Tim Herron 71 65 66, Ryan Palmer 69 63 70, John Senden (Aus) 68 67 67, Harrison Frazar 67 69 66, Jason Bohn 69 65 68

203 Charlie Wi (Kor) 67 70 66, Tom Lehman 68 69 66, Matt Kuchar 70 68 65, James Driscoll 69 64 70, Stephen Ames (Can) 68 68 67

204 David Toms 67 72 65, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 70 67 67, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 69 69 66, Mark Wilson 67 71 66, Kevin Streelman 68 70 66, Hunter Mahan 69 67 68, Kenny Perry 64 72 68, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 68 70 66, Jim Furyk 68 69 67

205 Bob Estes 71 66 68, Anthony Kim 69 68 68, Charley Hoffman 73 67 65, Bart Bryant 70 68 67, Jason Dufner 69 71 65, Stewart Cink 71 66 68, James Nitties (Aus) 67 68 70

206 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 73 66 67, Tom Pernice Jnr. 69 67 70, Greg Owen (Eng) 68 69 69, J J Henry 71 68 67, George McNeill 68 70 68, Corey Pavin 71 69 66, Brandt Jobe 71 69 66, Scott Verplank 70 68 68, Rocco Mediate 67 70 69

207 Danny Lee (Nzl) 69 67 71, Brian Davis (Eng) 69 68 70, Derek Fathauer 68 69 70, Chris DiMarco 69 71 67, Matt Bettencourt 69 70 68, Tommy Armour III 67 72 68

208 Dudley Hart 74 66 68, John Rollins 70 67 71, Justin Rose (Eng) 69 69 70, Adam Scott (Aus) 68 71 69, Mike Weir (Can) 69 67 72, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 71 68 69, Heath Slocum 69 71 68

209 Ben Crane 71 68 70, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 71 69 69, Brian Gay 68 71 70, Bo Van Pelt 71 69 69

210 Michael Bradley 70 67 73, Richard S Johnson (Swe) 71 69 70, John Merrick 71 68 71, Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 69 68 73, Chez Reavie 72 68 70

211 Ken Duke 71 69 71

212 Aron Price (Aus) 67 72 73, Mark Brooks 71 69 72

213 Joe Ogilvie 67 73 73

214 Mark Calcavecchia 68 72 74


KELLY’S DRAMATIC VICTORY
CLARK JINXED?
Jason Taylor agrees to one-year, $1.1 million deal with Miami Dolphins

WALL WELL POSITIONED BEHIND LEADERS

When Anthony Wall beat Paul Casey in the final of the Surrey amateur championship 14 years ago he knew Casey would go on to great things - and he hoped he would too.

He was right about Casey, but one victory in 318 starts is not quite how the taxi driver's son saw the road ahead for himself.

This weekend, however, Wall has a chance to win the European Open at the London Club in Kent and move into the world's top 50 for the first time, seven days after Casey went to number three by capturing the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

On his 34th birthday the Londoner totally outshone playing partner Shane Lowry again and moved only one behind Indian Jeev Milkha Singh and France's Michael Lorenzo-Vera at halfway.

While the professional debut of shock Irish Open winner Lowry ended two days earlier than he wanted after rounds of 78 and 73, Wall added a 69 to his opening 68 to stand seven under par.

"I've been an also-ran for a long time, but I expect to do well this week," said the man whose only Tour victory came in South Africa nine years ago.

"I've got better technique and now I'm getting older things don't bother me quite as much.

"But you don't win unless you putt well for four days and to be honest I've only done that once or twice in my life."

Not that Wall could be called a struggling professional by any stretch of the imagination.

He has earned more than Ј2million in the last three years and he has loftier ambitions than the European Open. Asked what he hoped to have achieved by the time he turns 40 he replied: "I hope to have won The Open.

"It's always been my goal and the first time I played one the atmosphere blew me away."

That was Sandwich in 2003 and he spent the first two rounds with eventual winner Ben Curtis, ranked 396th in the world at the time.

"Just shows you, doesn't it?" commented Wall.

Singh was out in the much windier afternoon and his 69 was a superb effort, although after chipping in at the short 17th he bogeyed the last.

Not that that was a disgrace. With water down the left there were sixes, sevens and eights galore - and one of the sixes was by world number four Sergio Garcia as he went from two under to level par.

Defending champion Ross Fisher did the same for two over and he had to wait 90 minutes before discovering that meant he missed the cut by one.

At one over Lee Westwood just survived despite also taking six on the 18th - his ninth - and the wind saved Colin Montgomerie too. When he finished on level par at lunchtime the Ryder Cup captain thought he was out, but in the end he made it with one shot to spare.

Masters champion Angel Cabrera and world number five Henrik Stenson missed the cut, both for the second week running. Stenson shot 78-80 for 12 over.

Lorenzo-Vera won the "second division" Challenge Tour two years ago and was second in the China Open last season, but a small boy in Dubai will remember him for something very different - he gave him his whole set of irons at the Desert Classic in January.

"Usually I break the clubs when I am angry, so Raphael Jacquelin told me one day 'Instead of breaking it, just give it'.

"The boy asked for an autograph and I said 'I have better for you'. He was a very happy little boy."

The 24-year-old was much more satisfied with his equipment today, not dropping a shot and picking up birdies at the 12th, 16th and fourth for a 69.

Lowry will try again at next week's Wales Open and at the Open qualifier at Sunningdale on Monday week.

"I wasn't firing on all cylinders, but I am looking forward to being just another player out there," said the 22-year-old.

Collated second round scores & totals

(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 72):

136 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 67 69, Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 67 69

137 Christian Cevaer (Fra) 67 70, Anthony Wall 68 69

138 Anders Hansen (Den) 65 73, Jamie Donaldson 68 70, Peter Lawrie 67 71, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 70 68

139 Peter Hanson (Swe) 66 73, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 69 70, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 66 73

140 Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 69 71, Christopher Doak 68 72

141 Anton Haig (Rsa) 68 73, Steve Webster 69 72, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 67 74, Ben Curtis (USA) 68 73, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 71 70, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 71 70, Tano Goya (Arg) 69 72, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 71 70, Sam Little 66 75, Ross McGowan 70 71, Bradley Dredge 72 69

142 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 69 73, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 68 74, Rory McIlroy 69 73, Chris Wood 69 73, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 67 75, Shaun Micheel (USA) 71 71, Oliver Fisher 71 71

143 Gary Orr 71 72, Graeme McDowell 70 73, Marcel Siem (Ger) 67 76, David Horsey 68 75, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 71 72, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 68 75, Simon Khan 67 76, Callum Macaulay 71 72, David Drysdale 72 71, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 71 72, Taco Remkes (Ned) 70 73

144 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 71 73, Richie Ramsay 74 70, Soren Hansen (Den) 69 75, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 69 75, Colin Montgomerie 70 74, Branden Grace (Rsa) 69 75, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 70 74, Graeme Storm 68 76, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 70 74, Paul Lawrie 73 71, Markus Brier (Aut) 72 72, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 67 77, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa) 68 76

145 Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 70 75, Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 70 75, Roope Kakko (Fin) 69 76, Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 71 74, Paul Waring 70 75, Klas Eriksson (Swe) 71 74, Steven O'Hara 71 74, Johan Edfors (Swe) 71 74, Brett Rumford (Aus) 75 70, Stephen Dodd 75 70, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 69 76, Mark Foster 73 72, Paul McGinley 70 75, Lee Westwood 70 75

Missed cut:

146 Ross Fisher 73 73, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 73 73, David Howell 70 76, John Bickerton 72 74, David Lynn 72 74, Seve Benson 71 75, Richard Finch 74 72, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 72 74, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 71 75

147 Joakim Haeggman (Swe) 70 77, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 66 81, Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 75 72, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 72 75, Danny Willett 72 75, David Frost (Rsa) 74 73, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 73 74, Wil Besseling (Ned) 73 74, John Daly (USA) 71 76, Michael Jonzon (Swe) 74 73, Pablo Martin (Spa) 75 72, Richard Bland 70 77, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 72 75, Stephen Gallacher 73 74, Richard Green (Aus) 73 74, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 74 73

148 Damien McGrane 74 74, Gary Murphy 75 73, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 74 74, Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra) 72 76, Alastair Forsyth 71 77, Nick Dougherty 72 76

149 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 73 76, Jeppe Huldahl (Den) 74 75, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 73 76, Benn Barham 73 76, Gareth Maybin 74 75, Oliver Wilson 71 78, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 72 77, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 76 73, Simon Wakefield 71 78, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 73 76, David Dixon 73 76, Phillip Archer 75 74, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 70 79

150 Zane Scotland 75 75, Phillip Price 77 73, Scott Drummond 72 78, David Gilford 79 71, Darren Clarke 74 76, Gary Lockerbie 73 77, Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 72 78, Gregory Havret (Fra) 76 74

151 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 72 79, Shane Lowry 78 73, Jason McCreadie 76 75, Kenneth Ferrie 76 75, Michael Hoey 73 78, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 75 76

152 Robert Dinwiddie 76 76, Jarmo Sandelin(Swe) 78 74, Andrew Coltart 75 77, Scott Strange (Aus) 77 75, Oskar Henningsson (Swe) 72 80, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 71 81, Barry Lane 76 76

153 Anthony Kang (USA) 72 81, Lee Slattery 71 82, Inder Van Weerelt (Ned) 74 79

154 Alvaro Velasco (Spa) 77 77, Marc Warren 79 75, James Ablett 73 81, Peter Senior (Aus) 73 81, Simon Dyson 79 75

155 Robert Rock 74 81, Andrew Oldcorn 76 79, Michael Campbell (Nzl) 80 75, Paul Broadhurst 73 82, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 72 83

156 Alan McLean 76 80, Mark Brown (Nzl) 77 79, Miles Tunnicliff 72 84, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 76 80

157 Per-Ulrik Johansson (Swe) 79 78, Scott Arnold (Hkg) 79 78, Reinier Saxton (Ned) 84 73

158 Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 74 84


HOWELL SKIPS ITALY
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LOWRY TURNS PROFESSIONAL

Shane Lowry, the 22-year-old amateur who stunned the golf world on Sunday by winning the Irish Open, is an amateur no more.

Despite Padraig Harrington making out a case for him waiting until after September's Walker Cup in America, Lowry felt unable to resist the temptation to turn professional.

He will launch his new career in the European Open at The London Club in Kent next week - and this time gunning for the Ј300,000 first prize as well as the glory.

At County Louth Lowry beat England's Robert Rock at the third play-off hole, but Rock took the winner's cheque of nearly Ј440,000 because the plus five handicapper was barred from accepting it.

"There is a tinge of sadness for me leaving my amateur career behind as I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the Irish National team and GUI (Golfing Union of Ireland) set-up," said only the third amateur to win a European Tour event - and the first to do it on his debut.

"I am lucky to have had so many great times growing up playing amateur golf in Ireland. Irish golf, both amateur and professional, is in undeniably good health at the moment and the GUI should be commended and congratulated for the role it has played in this.

"These are exciting times for Irish golf and I am proud to be a part of this great success story."

He dedicated his victory to the GUI and in reflecting on it commented: "If I'm being honest I genuinely did feel that I had the game to have a good week and gain some good experience to build on, with a view to turning professional later in the summer.

"However, to go and win the tournament and leave Baltray on Sunday evening with the Irish Open trophy and the option of a two-year exemption on the European Tour was certainly beyond my expectations

"Obviously winning has forced me to re-assess my career goals in the short term and I have had a lot to think about this week.

"I have spent the past few days discussing the options open to me with my family, close friends and coach Neil Manchip.

"My goal had been to qualify for the Walker Cup team in September and turn professional after that.

"However, I have now decided to turn professional immediately as I feel that this will give me the greatest chance of becoming the best player I can be in the future.

"My Irish Open win has provided me with a unique opportunity to ease myself into the professional game by playing in some of the biggest tournaments in Europe over the coming months with a view to preparing myself for the 2010 European Tour season.

"I can now go out on Tour under no pressure and just concentrate on playing golf and enjoying the whole experience.

I am really looking forward to just getting out there and playing now."

Rory McIlroy, a partner in their amateur days, backed his move, but Harrington had said: "He has plenty of time left to play professional golf, only a limited time to play amateur.

"Looking back on my career, I have won three majors and I still rate playing three Walker Cups very highly on my achievements. I still look back on that as a mainstay of my career.

"If he believes he is good enough, and winning the Irish Open says he is, then he has to believe in himself - and turning pro is not believing in yourself.

"Staying and playing the Walker Cup and trusting that your game will be as good from September onwards is believing in yourself.

"He'll only get one opportunity to play in the Walker Cup - that would be my attitude to it."

Lowry added: "While I have had a lot to take on board since Sunday, I am confident that I am making the right decision for my career.

"I like to think of this opportunity as career changing as opposed to life changing.

"I am fully aware of the fact that playing against some of the greatest players in the world as a professional on a weekly basis will be new territory for me and it will be a difficult challenge, however, I am confident that it is something I am ready for.

"Furthermore, I feel that I have the right team around me to guide me through this important stage of my career".

He is becoming a stable mate of Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell and England's Ross Fisher - next week's defending champion - at Dublin-based Horizon.

Lowry is receiving a 20,000 euros development grant from the Irish Sports Council through the Team Ireland Golf Trust.

Chief executive John Treacy said: "The Council supported Shane as an amateur through the high performance programme of the GUI and we are delighted to support him on the next stage of his career as a professional golfer."


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Cincinnati Bengals release oft-injured left tackle Levi Jones

FAMILY COMES FIRST FOR FISHER

Ross Fisher warned today that he would be prepared to pull out of the Open Championship in July even if he is charging toward victory at the time.

Fisher, who starts the defence of his European Open title at the London Club in Kent on Thursday, is due to become a father on July 14 - two days before the Turnberry tournament begins.

"My wife is expecting on the Tuesday and I think the phone will be on constantly all week," said Fisher.

"Assuming something happens, no matter what's going on, I think I'll be straight out of there.

"Six-shot lead and a round to play, I'll still be on a plane. Is that politically correct?

"It's something I've dreamt about for a long, long time and it's something I certainly don't want to miss out on. There are plenty more Opens for me to play in."


HARRINGTON STEELED FOR TOUGHER TIMES
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CASEY CLIMBS TO SIXTH
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DYSON SEALS US OPEN BERTH

Simon Dyson has earned himself a second crack at the US Open - four years after the most demanding week of his golfing life.

Rounds of 66 and 70 gave the 31-year-old from York third place behind fellow Englishman Simon Khan and France's Raphael Jacquelin in the European qualifying event at Walton Heath.

And Dyson said of the challenge that now awaits him at Bethpage Black next month: "I just hope it's not as hard as Pinehurst was.

"That was too hard - the most difficult course I've ever played. You were hitting four-irons into greens that were designed for wedges.

"You could be stood in the middle of a fairway with like a six-iron in your hands thinking 'How do I hit this on the green?'

"I didn't play that great to be fair, but I've never seen anything like it."

Dyson shot 79-78 to miss the cut by nine shots, but the 2007 USPGA at Southern Hills was a different story.

He closed with a dazzling 64 there for sixth place and he is hoping for a week like that on New York's Long Island.

With Colin Montgomerie among those to withdraw before the start a total of 75 players battled for the 11 spots on offer.

Four Ryder Cup stars were in the field, but while Paul McGinley, David Howell and Niclas Fasth missed out, recent Spanish Open winner Thomas Levet made it through on seven under.

Bethpage is where Levet's US Open debut came in 2002, and he finished 18th.

Compatriot Jacquelin, meanwhile, had failed in four previous attempts at the qualifier, but made no mistake this time by following up an opening 67 on the New Course with a 68 on the Old.

Former Wales Open champion Khan matched that and for him it was fourth time lucky.

"I had a look at Bethpage on the internet to get some inspiration," said the Essex golfer. "It's been a bit of a tough year so far and to make it into a major means a lot."

Joint fifth were South African Andrew McLardy and another Tour rookie David Horsey, the Cheshire 24-year-old who led the BMW PGA Championship after the opening round last Thursday.

The remaining five spots had to be decided by a play-off involving seven players, among them Scot Stephen Gallacher and England's Richard Bland.

Walker Cup squad member Sam Hutsby, the one amateur taking part, was well positioned after a first-round 69, but four-putted the 15th in an afternoon 74 and missed by four.


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HANSON PLAYS ACE TO MAKE US OPEN
HANSON THROUGH IN SPECTACULAR STYLE

PARNEVIK MISSES OUT ON OPEN RETURN

Jesper Parnevik missed out on a return to Turnberry by two shots after carding a one-under 70 in the second round of the American qualifier in Texas.

Parnevik, who let slip a golden opportunity to win the 1994 Open at the same course, slipped up again after getting himself in a good position with a round of 64 in the morning session, but then falling off the pace to miss out on one of the eight qualifying spots up for grabs.

American Matt Kuchar took the top spot after finishing 13-under-par by following a first round score of 63 with a 66 in the afternoon.

He was joined by fellow American Jeff Overton who carded rounds of 64 and 67 to finished 11-under, as well as six others tied on 10-under overall: Davis Love III, Richard S Johnson, James Driscoll, Tim Wilkinson, Frederik Jacobson, and Martin Laird.

Germany's Alex Cejka, who had led after the morning session along with Kuchar on 63, shot a 71 in the afternoon to miss out.


HOWELL SKIPS ITALY
DUO STILL LOCKED TOGETHER
Tom Moore, Howard Mudd to return to Indianapolis Colts as consultants

CASEY WINS AT WENTWORTH

Paul Casey has won the European Tour's flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth - and with it goes to world number three.

It needed three birdies in the last four holes, however, for the 31-year-old Ryder Cup star to hold off the challenge of fellow Englishman Ross Fisher, whose best-of-the-week 64 was only one outside the West Course record.

The outcome was far from certain when Casey, 41st in the world at the start of 2009 and seventh entering the tournament, found a greenside bunker with his approach to the par five last.

But he splashed out to five feet and made no mistake to claim the massive Ј667,093 first prize at the European Tour's flagship event.

"It was not an easy putt, but any putt to win is something I would like to have," said Casey.

"There are great names on this trophy and it feels great. A lot of people have put in a lot of work, but I have to thank Peter Kostis, my coach in the States.

"He's more than a coach and we set some lofty goals at the start of the year."

Casey has not disclosed what they were, but world number three would certainly have been stretching things. Certainly before the end of May.

The last time Britain had a player in the world's top three was Colin Montgomerie nine years ago - and since the rankings began in 1986 Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam are the only others to make it as high.

As a youngster growing up in Surrey Casey used to "sneak in" to watch the action on the famous West Course.

But now he has won the venue's two biggest titles. Three years ago he won the Ј1million first prize at the World Match Play.

Two years ago Fisher was the one who led with a round to play and on that occasion he crashed to 39th spot with an horrendous 84.

This time the final day saw something very different from him.

Five behind at the start of the day, he actually led on his own when he notched his sixth birdie of the day on the long 12th.

He also picked up shots on the 17th and 18th, but it was not enough and by just missing an 18-foot eagle chance at the last he had to settle for the Ј444,729 runners-up cheque.

This coming week, however, sees him back at the London Club in Kent where he won the European Open by seven strokes last year.

Casey had not looked at leaderboards on the front nine, but when he did glance up and see that Fisher was on a charge he reacted brilliantly.

After drawing level by matching Fisher's two-putt birdie at the 531-yard 12th he converted a 15-foot chance three holes later - Fisher had missed from half that distance.

He then scrambled a par on the 16th after pulling his tee shot into sand, made a nine-footer at the next and after "only" parring the 538-yard 18th in the first three rounds made it fourth time lucky.

The birdie was for a 68 and, with four sub-70 rounds, he finished with a 17 under par aggregate of 271.

Dane Soren Kjeldsen was third and Welshman Stephen Dodd fourth in a welcome return to form from the former World Cup winner now ranked 477th in the world.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy was probably expected to mount the stiffest challenge after a Saturday 65 put him third, but he slipped to fifth with a 71.

The most amazing finish came from former Open champion Ben Curtis, who birdied the 15th and 16th and then eagled the two closing par fives for a 67 and joint sixth place.

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez had a moment to remember. A year after he aced the fifth en route to victory the 45-year-old Spaniard made only the third albatross of the European season by sinking a 206-yard six-iron to the fourth.

His day also included a triple bogey seven on the 13th, however, as he finished down on level par.

Colin Montgomerie, joint 10th with a round to go, also had a seven and since it came on the 473-yard first that was that for his hopes of getting into contention.

The three-time winner's approach flew through the crowd into the bushes and two shots later he was still not on the green.

He took six on the 18th as well and with a 76 for 35th spot Montgomerie, who then pulled out of tomorrow's US Open qualifier at Walton Heath along with a host of others, has still not had a top 10 finish since he was runner-up in the French Open last June.

He was tied seventh with a round to go in the Irish Open a week ago, but slumped to 41st with an 80 then.

Collated final round scores & totals in the European Tour BMW PGA Championship, Wentworth GC, Surrey, England

(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 72):

271 Paul Casey 69 67 67 68

272 Ross Fisher 68 73 67 64

275 Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 69 69 68 69

276 Stephen Dodd 71 68 70 67

278 Rory McIlroy 72 70 65 71

279 Anthony Wall 67 71 72 69, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 68 72 68 71, Ben Curtis (USA) 69 70 73 67

280 Thomas Levet (Fra) 70 71 68 71

281 Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 72 67 74 68

282 Martin Kaymer (Ger) 72 70 70 70, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa) 67 77 70 68

283 Graeme McDowell 75 71 68 69, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 74 71 69 69, Nick Dougherty 73 71 67 72

284 Robert Rock 71 74 69 70, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 73 73 70 68, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 70 72 72 70, Simon Dyson 74 69 68 73, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 69 71 73 71

285 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 71 74 69 71, Anders Hansen (Den) 72 70 71 72, Soren Hansen (Den) 73 70 71 71, Paul Waring 75 71 70 69, Paul Broadhurst 73 72 68 72, Marc Warren 72 66 71 76, Alexander Noren (Swe) 69 71 72 73, Ernie Els (Rsa) 73 73 70 69, Markus Brier (Aut) 70 74 72 69, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 70 75 71 69, Richard Green (Aus) 72 74 68 71

286 Robert Karlsson (Swe) 69 74 72 71, Paul Lawrie 72 71 70 73, Jamie Donaldson 70 71 73 72

287 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 77 68 70 72, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 73 72 70 72, Colin Montgomerie 69 73 69 76, Benn Barham 72 73 72 70, Lee Slattery 70 72 74 71, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 68 74 73 72, Alastair Forsyth 70 75 75 67, Luke Donald 74 72 71 70

288 Brett Rumford (Aus) 71 73 72 72, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 68 70 74 76, David Horsey 67 71 74 76, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 71 73 70 74, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 71 74 70 73

289 Robert Dinwiddie 73 73 74 69, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 72 69 77 71, Mark Foster 72 70 73 74, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 73 67 73 76

290 Pablo Martin (Spa) 72 73 72 73, Darren Clarke 74 71 74 71

291 Peter Hanson (Swe) 71 74 74 72, Andres Romero (Arg) 71 72 76 72, Tano Goya (Arg) 74 71 70 76, Scott Drummond 69 74 74 74, Seve Benson 73 72 77 69

292 Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa) 74 70 74 74, Anton Haig (Rsa) 72 69 81 70, Marcel Siem (Ger) 71 75 75 71, Miles Tunnicliff 73 70 73 76, Sam Little 71 73 74 74

293 Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 71 73 77 72, Phillip Archer 72 74 76 71, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 73 70 75 75, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 73 73 78 69

294 Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 74 71 71 78, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 73 73 78 70, Simon Wakefield 75 69 74 76

295 Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 70 76 76 73

296 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 70 76 75 75, John Daly (USA) 73 71 77 75, David Howell 76 69 73 78, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 74 72 73 77

297 Johan Edfors (Swe) 74 72 75 76

299 Barry Lane 68 78 83 70

301 Anthony Kang (USA) 69 76 76 80


CASEY CLIMBS TO SIXTH
Tom Moore, Howard Mudd to return to Indianapolis Colts as consultants
LOWRY MAKES BIG IMPRESSION

HANSON PLAYS ACE TO MAKE US OPEN

Whatever happens to Swedish golfer Peter Hanson in next month's US Open he will always remember the shot on Monday night which got him there.

Just as Paul Casey settled a Ryder Cup match with a hole-in-one three years ago Hanson resolved a sudden death play-off with an ace in the 36-hole European qualifier at Walton Heath.

Scotland's Stephen Gallacher and England's Richard Bland were still hoping that the last of the 11 spots on offer might be theirs when Hanson went back to his bag to change clubs on the 206-yard second extra hole.

"I was pumped up, so switched from a five-iron to a six - and knew I had to hit it really well to land it on the front of the green," he said after picking the ball out of the hole.

"It was just a perfect shot."

Just two weeks after producing the sixth ace of his career during the Irish Open at County Louth Hanson's magnificent seventh put him through the qualifier for the third time in four attempts.

Joint first place in the event went to England's Simon Khan and Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, who between them had made seven previous attempts without success.

Former Wales Open champion Khan is down in 152nd place on this season Race To Dubai money list and after missing the cut at Wentworth last week turned to his computer for inspiration.

"I decided to have a look on the Bethpage website and went through all 18 holes," said the Essex player, who will now spend his 37th birthday on New York's Long Island.

"It looks fantastic and it means a lot to me to make it through to a US Open for the first time."

Compatriot Simon Dyson was third one behind and said of the challenge that now awaits him: "I just hope it's not as hard as Pinehurst was four years ago.

"That was too hard - the most difficult course I've ever played. You were hitting four irons into greens that were designed for wedges.

"You could be stood in the middle of a fairway with like a six iron in your hands thinking 'how do I hit this on the green?'

"I didn't play that great to be fair, but I've never seen anything like it."

Dyson shot 79-78 to miss the cut by nine shots.

With Colin Montgomerie among those to withdraw before the start yesterday only four Ryder Cup stars were in the field, but while Paul McGinley, David Howell and Niclas Fasth missed out recent Spanish Open winner Thomas Levet made it through on seven under.

Joint fifth, meanwhile, were South African Andrew McLardy and Tour rookie David Horsey, the Cheshire 24-year-old who led the BMW PGA Championship after the opening round last Thursday.

The play-off began with seven fighting it out for five spots and Spain's Jose Manuel Lara, France's Jean-Francois Lucquin, Swede Johan Edfors and Italian Francesco Molinari all birdied the first to qualify.


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HANSON THROUGH IN SPECTACULAR STYLE

US OPEN JOY FOR FERNANDEZ-CASTANO

Of all the European Tour stars at Walton Heath today for the 36-hole US Open qualifier, Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano was undoubtedly the happiest - he did not have to play.

The British Masters champion was able to eat his breakfast and then leave without hitting a ball after it was confirmed he had climbed into the world's top 50 and was therefore exempt for the second major of the year.

Fernandez-Castano's 11th-place finish in the BMW PGA Championship moved him up 11 spots to a career-best 49th on the rankings and he will make his US Open debut at Bethpage Black next month.

Fernandez-Castano, who had been due to tee off in the qualifying tournament at 8.45am, said: "I made some calculations last night but went to bed not certain because I knew the PGA Tour event in Texas could change things.

"I received a text from a Spanish journalist saying I was in but I came here at 7.30am just to make sure.

"It's excellent news because I've tried it here three times before and never got through.

"My ranking also gets me into the Open, so that's great as well."

His record at Open qualifying is even worse - five misses out of five.

"I did play at Hoylake in 2006 but that year I'd failed to qualify and then was called in off my world ranking because somebody else withdrew," he added.

The 28-year-old birdied the final hole at Wentworth to claim his spot, getting up and down from a bunker, just like Paul Casey did to win the title.


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HANSON THROUGH IN SPECTACULAR STYLE

Swede Peter Hanson secured a place in next month's US Open with a spectacular play-off hole-in-one - after making a late change about which club to hit.

Hanson was left battling with Scot Stephen Gallacher and England's Richard Bland for the last of the 11 spots up for grabs in the 36-hole European qualifier at Walton Heath in Surrey.

The 17th hole on the Old Course measures 206 yards and Hanson said: "I was pumped up so switched from a five iron to a six and knew I had to hit it really well to land it on the front of the green.

"It was just a perfect shot."

The seventh ace of his career came just two weeks after his sixth during the Irish Open at County Louth.

The play-off on five under par had started with seven players competing for five places and Italian Francesco Molinari, France's Jean-Francois Lucquin and Hanson's fellow countryman Johan Edfors went through with birdie threes on the first hole of sudden death.

Molinari thought his chance of playing at Bethpage Black next month might have gone when he was disqualified from the Irish Open after taking the first round lead.

He was hoping to climb into the world's top 50 and earn a spot that way, but was thrown out for signing for a wrong score on a card marked incorrectly by playing partner Hanson.

First place in the qualifier was shared by England's Simon Khan and Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin on nine under.

Simon Dyson was third one behind and said of the challenge that now awaits him: "I just hope it's not as hard as Pinehurst was four years ago.

"That was too hard, the most difficult course I've ever played. You were hitting four-irons into greens that were designed for wedges.

"You could be stood in the middle of a fairway with like a six iron in your hands thinking 'How do I hit this on the green?'

"I didn't play that great to be fair, but I've never seen anything like it." Dyson shot 79, 78 to miss the cut by nine shots.

With Colin Montgomerie among those to withdraw before the start, only four Ryder Cup stars were in the field, but while Paul McGinley, David Howell and Niclas Fasth missed out recent Spanish Open winner Thomas Levet made it through on seven under.

Joint fifth, meanwhile, were South African Andrew McLardy and another Tour rookie David Horsey, the Cheshire 24-year-old who led the BMW PGA Championship after the opening round last Thursday.

Walker Cup squad member Sam Hutsby, the one amateur taking part, was well positioned after a first round of 69, but four-putted the 15th in an afternoon 74 and missed by four.


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DUO STILL LOCKED TOGETHER

Rory Sabbatini and John Mallinger will go into the final round of the HP Byron Nelson Championship tied together on 13 under par after ending the day as they started it.

After beginning Saturday's third round out in front on eight under, both shot five-under rounds of 65 at TPC Four Seasons to move two shots ahead of a group of three players.

DA Points, who also carded a 65, was joined on 11 under by Dustin Johnson and England's Brian Davis, who both signed for 66s.

It could have been better for Johnson, who racked up six birdies in his first eight holes to go out in 30 only to come home in 36.

Kevin Streelman is three off the pace after a 64 and tied at 10 under with Glen Day and Briny Baird while Australian Marc Leishman moved to nine under after a 63, the low round of the day.

Also on that mark is PGA Tour rookie James Nitties.

Lower down the leaderboard, England's Greg Owen and Scotland's Martin Laird both shot 68s to sit three under.

Collated third round scores & totals in the USPGA Tour HP Byron Nelson Championship, TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas, Irving, Texas, United States of America

(USA unless stated, par 70):

197 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 68 64 65, John Mallinger 67 65 65

199 Brian Davis (Eng) 68 65 66, Dustin Johnson 68 65 66, D.A. Points 68 66 65

200 Glen Day 69 66 65, Briny Baird 69 64 67, Kevin Streelman 67 69 64

201 Marc Leishman (Aus) 68 70 63, James Nitties (Aus) 65 68 68

202 George McNeill 69 67 66, Jeff Maggert 71 66 65, Charley Hoffman 71 66 65, Bryce Molder 68 68 66, James Driscoll 67 66 69, Fred Couples 69 66 67

203 Charlie Wi (Kor) 73 66 64, Michael Letzig 68 68 67, Scott McCarron 66 69 68, Mike Weir (Can) 66 71 66, Nicholas Thompson 73 66 64, Charles Howell III 66 69 68

204 Steve Marino 69 69 66, Justin Leonard 75 63 66, Robert Allenby (Aus) 67 67 70, John Senden (Aus) 71 68 65, Jonathan Byrd 68 70 66, Jesper Parnevik (Swe) 67 68 69

205 Brad Adamonis 66 70 69, Kris Blanks 68 71 66, Robert Garrigus 70 66 69, Ted Purdy 74 65 66, Brian Bateman 69 70 66, Alex Cejka (Ger) 69 69 67, Danny Lee (Nzl) 69 67 69, Nathan Green (Aus) 70 69 66, J J Henry 71 68 66, Ken Duke 65 69 71, Y.E. Yang (Kor) 69 67 69

206 Colt Knost 67 72 67, Davis Love III 73 64 69, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 68 69 69, Tim Wilkinson (Nzl) 69 67 70, Tommy Armour III 67 71 68, Hunter Mahan 71 68 67, Vijay Singh (Fij) 70 67 69, John Rollins 72 66 68, David Mathis 72 67 67

207 Jeff Klauk 72 66 69, Chris Riley 71 68 68, Aaron Watkins 67 71 69, Joe Ogilvie 69 70 68, Martin Laird (Sco) 72 67 68, Matt Kuchar 70 69 68, Greg Owen (Eng) 68 71 68, Matt Weibring 67 69 71

208 Ricky Barnes 69 70 69, Rodney Pampling (Aus) 72 67 69, Steve Flesch 70 69 69, Chris DiMarco 67 69 72, Notah Begay III 73 65 70, Jimmy Walker 71 68 69, Troy Matteson 68 69 71

209 Shaun Micheel 72 67 70, David Berganio Jnr. 72 65 72, Todd Hamilton 71 67 71

210 Ben Crane 71 68 71, Jay Williamson 68 71 71, Harrison Frazar 73 66 71

211 Kent Jones 67 70 74, Bob Heintz 68 70 73

213 Mark Calcavecchia 68 70 75, Cliff Kresge 70 69 74, James Oh (Kor) 71 68 74


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KELLY’S DRAMATIC VICTORY

MONTGOMERIE SEEKS RETURN TO FORM

Colin Montgomerie made a late decision not to play in today's 36-hole US Open qualifier at Walton Heath, saying he wanted instead to prepare for his next two tournaments.

Europe's Ryder Cup captain finished the BMW PGA Championship with a 76 to drop from 10th to 35th and so goes into this week's European Open still seeking a first top-10 finish since last June.

Montgomerie is now outside the world's top 175, yet it was only three years ago that he led the US Open with a hole to play before double-bogeying the final hole.

After missing halfway cuts in Spain and Italy he was lying joint seventh after 54 holes of the Irish Open, then slumped to a closing 80.

On Saturday he went to the turn in 31 to be only three behind Paul Casey, but he finished 16 adrift.

Marc Warren, his World Cup winning partner two years ago, was another of a long list of withdrawals from the qualifying tournament.

Warren was only two behind at halfway last week, but fell back to 21st by also closing with a 76.


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MONTY BIDDING FOR US OPEN BERTH

OPEN QUALIFYING CHANGES ANNOUNCED

From next year final qualifying for the Open will be staged a week earlier and will be 36 holes in one day rather than spread over two.

The Royal and Ancient Club announced the change today saying it was "an attempt to alleviate a congested golfing calendar and make it more convenient for players".

Four venues will also be used rather than three, with Scotscraig next year joining Fairmont St Andrews, Ladybank and Kingsbarns as a route into The Open at St Andrews.

For the 2011 Open at Sandwich, Rye now joins Prince's, Royal Cinque Ports and Littlestone, while for Lytham in 2012 West Lancashire is added to Hillside, Southport & Ainsdale and St Annes Old.


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CASEY LEADS THE WAY

Paul Casey, told on Wednesday that the world number three spot was there for him to grab this week, is bang on course for it halfway through the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Three years after he won Ј1million on the course in the World Match Play, Casey moved from two behind to two in front with a second-round 67 at the European Tour's flagship event.

The 31-year-old had no hesitation nominating his shot of the day - a 163-yard nine-iron that dived into the hole for a two at the difficult 13th.

Not that it was Casey's only eagle. He hit a seven-iron to seven feet at the long fourth and had the chance of another when he was almost as close on the 12th, only to miss the putt.

That was one of four birdies, but a disappointing six-five finish on the two par fives limited him to eight under par.

And he ended up with only 13 usable clubs, bending his four-iron when he struck a tree on the 17th.

"I was worried that the club might snap and injure somebody in the crowd," he said. "It's an old shaft and it might be difficult to get it replaced - and I wanted to hit it at the last.

"I would have taken a two-shot lead at the start of the day, but there were still a few too many mistakes, which was a bit frustrating.

"I used to struggle to figure out a way round here and stood on some tees pretty scared, but the changes (made by playing partner Ernie Els) gave me more options and I've built over the years a liking for the course."

First prize this time is just under Ј670,000 and that would take him well clear in the circuit's new Race To Dubai, but it is the possibility of a third win this year and a leap from seventh to third in the rankings - behind only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson - that sends him into the weekend licking his lips.

Joint second are holder Miguel Angel Jimenez, England's David Horsey and Anthony Wall, Scotsman Marc Warren and also Dane Soren Kjeldsen.

Jimenez's dream for the last 36 holes is that he will become only the third player in the event's history - after Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie - to make a successful defence of the trophy.

The 45-year-old's hopes were given a massive boost by a closing 18-foot eagle putt after he had driven into the fairway bunker for the second day running.

"I think this course suits me because you need to control the ball," said the Malaga golfer. "It's always a benefit being a long hitter, but it does not make much difference here because you have to place the ball."

Jimenez has had more wins - eight - since his 40th birthday than before and he commented: "I feel the people kicking and trying to put me away, but I am still solid like a bull.

"I still enjoy myself with this new era and I love the competition. I still feel these butterflies in my stomach - it's what I do in my life and what I want to keep doing."

First-day leaders Horsey and Wall both added 71s to their opening rounds of 67 to be alongside Jimenez and they were joined by Warren when he birdied four of the last seven for a best-of-the-day 66 and Kjeldsen after he shot 69.

Former Open champion Ben Curtis and South African Thomas Aiken are in joint seventh on five under.

Welshman Stephen Dodd, a World Cup winner like Warren, moved alongside Aiken and Curtis by also grabbing four late birdies.

Collated second round scores & totals

(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 72):

136 Paul Casey 69 67

138 Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 69 69, Anthony Wall 67 71, Marc Warren 72 66, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 68 70, David Horsey 67 71

139 Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 72 67, Stephen Dodd 71 68, Ben Curtis (USA) 69 70

140 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 68 72, Alexander Noren (Swe) 69 71, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 73 67, Alvaro Quiros (Spa) 69 71

141 Anton Haig (Rsa) 72 69, Ross Fisher 68 73, Jamie Donaldson 70 71, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 72 69, Thomas Levet (Fra) 70 71

142 Anders Hansen (Den) 72 70, Colin Montgomerie 69 73, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 72 70, Lee Slattery 70 72, Rory McIlroy 72 70, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 68 74, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 70 72, Mark Foster 72 70

143 Soren Hansen (Den) 73 70, Scott Drummond 69 74, Simon Dyson 74 69, Robert Karlsson (Swe) 69 74, Andres Romero (Arg) 71 72, Paul Lawrie 72 71, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 73 70, Miles Tunnicliff 73 70

144 Nick Dougherty 73 71, Simon Wakefield 75 69, John Daly (USA) 73 71, Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa) 74 70, Brett Rumford (Aus) 71 73, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 71 73, Markus Brier (Aut) 70 74, Sam Little 71 73, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa) 67 77, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 71 73

145 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 77 68, Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 71 74, Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 74 71, Benn Barham 72 73, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 71 74, Anthony Kang (USA) 69 76, Peter Hanson (Swe) 71 74, Robert Rock 71 74, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 74 71, Alastair Forsyth 70 75, Pablo Martin (Spa) 72 73, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 73 72, David Howell 76 69, Darren Clarke 74 71, Seve Benson 73 72, Paul Broadhurst 73 72, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 70 75, Tano Goya (Arg) 74 71

146 Robert Dinwiddie 73 73, Johan Edfors (Swe) 74 72, Ernie Els (Rsa) 73 73, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 73 73, Graeme McDowell 75 71, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 73 73, Paul Waring 75 71, Marcel Siem (Ger) 71 75, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 70 76, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 70 76, Phillip Archer 72 74, Richard Green (Aus) 72 74, Luke Donald 74 72, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 74 72, Barry Lane 68 78, Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 73 73

Missed cut:

147 Hennie Otto (Rsa) 73 74, Richie Ramsay 76 71, Scott Strange (Aus) 72 75, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 69 78, Brett A Taylor 76 71, Peter Lawrie 70 77, John Bickerton 73 74, Simon Khan 74 73, Taco Remkes (Ned) 76 71, Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 76 71, Ross McGowan 76 71, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 73 74

148 Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 73 75, Zane Scotland 74 74, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 71 77, Gareth Maybin 75 73, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 75 73, George Ryall 76 72, David Dixon 77 71, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 71 77, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 78 70

149 Steve Webster 75 74, Jason McCreadie 75 74, Angel Cabrera (Arg) 74 75, Mark Brown (Nzl) 78 71, David Frost (Rsa) 74 75, Oliver Fisher 77 72, Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 74 75, Gary Lockerbie 70 79, Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 74 75, Richard Finch 77 72

150 Christian Cevaer (Fra) 77 73, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 73 77, Gary Orr 76 74, Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 75 75, James Ablett 75 75, Phillip Price 73 77, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 76 74, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 79 71, Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 76 74, Stephen Gallacher 77 73, Michael Jonzon (Swe) 74 76, Bradley Dredge 79 71

151 Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 73 78, James Kingston (Rsa) 73 78, Oliver Wilson 76 75, Per-Ulrik Johansson (Swe) 76 75, Nick Ludwell 77 74, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Ind) 72 79, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 78 73

152 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 76 76, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 77 75

153 Paul Simpson 78 75, Paul McGinley 73 80, Christopher Doak 76 77

154 David Lynn 79 75, Kenneth Ferrie 75 79, Lee Westwood 77 77

156 Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 77 79, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 76 80

157 Alvaro Velasco (Spa) 79 78, Andrew Oldcorn 77 80, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 79 78

158 Gary Murphy 82 76, Guy Woodman 77 81, Simon Lilly 79 79, Gregory Havret (Fra) 76 82

160 Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 78 82

161 Michael Campbell (Nzl) 79 82, Graeme Storm 80 81

168 John Kelly (USA) 86 82


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MONTY BIDDING FOR US OPEN BERTH

Colin Montgomerie tees off at 8.20am at Walton Heath on Monday to try to secure a place in next month's United States Open.

The 36-hole European qualifier sees fewer than 80 players competing for 11 spots at Bethpage Black.

Former Ryder Cup teammates David Howell, Niclas Fasth, Thomas Levet and Paul McGinley, plus his World Cup-winning partner Marc Warren, are also in the field.

Montgomerie was third on his debut in the US Open in 1992 and since then has lost a play-off in 1994, came up one shot short in 1997 - Ernie Els won both of those - and three years ago double-bogeyed the last hole to lose by one again.

The only time he has missed the championship was 2004.


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HARRINGTON HAPPY WITH TURNBERRY

Padraig Harrington has taken his first look at the Turnberry course on which he will be try to become the first player since Peter Thomson in 1956 to win three successive Opens.

"It's a super course - it's lived up to expectations," said the Dubliner.

"There are not a huge amount of opportunities out there, but a lot of steady holes with difficult par threes.

"I have learned what the set-up will be like and what shots need to be practised and played, although the course will change over the next two months.

"From watching it on TV and hearing what other people have had to say, I knew it was a great course and I really like what I see."

Harrington insists he is not feeling any extra pressure as he prepares to launch his hat-trick-bid at the Scottish course in July.

"I am well aware that Peter Thomson was the last man to do it, but I feel I'll be in with a great chance because I have control over my own preparation and, if I get that right, then I can be in contention," he said.

"I want to win more majors, but I'm not going to put any more pressure on myself to make it three in a row.

"I'm going to take it like any other major - winning them individually is big enough, but if they happen to come three years in a row well that's very special."


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HARRINGTON ‘HONOURED’ BY AWARD

MUM'S THE WORD FOR HORSEY

There was no doubt who England's David Horsey thought of first after taking a share of the first-round lead in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

As Phil Mickelson began indefinite leave from golf because of his wife Amy's breast cancer, Horsey spoke of his mother's battle with the disease following a five-under-par 67.

"She's at home watching the live scoring and watching on the TV and hopefully it has kept her going," said the 24-year-old Cheshire golfer, who jointly heads the European Tour's flagship event with compatriot Anthony Wall and also Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

"She never really talks about it that way but hopefully I've helped in that respect.

"She was diagnosed at the end of last year and and just had her last chemo(therapy) yesterday. She's got three weeks of radiotherapy coming up shortly and hopefully that will be it but she won't get the all-clear obviously until three or four years down the line.

"It's been tough - it's always at the back of my mind. My mum's always been very strong through it and my dad has obviously been there for her.

"I do try hard not to think about it when I'm playing and what she would want for me is to keep on playing."

Tour rookie Horsey, a team-mate of Rory McIlroy at the 2007 Walker Cup and winner of last season's Challenge circuit, was the first of the 150-strong field to tee off at 7am.

He was one over after five holes of his debut but birdied the next two, added another on the 12th and finished with three more.

Londoner Wall, only two groups behind him, also came home in a four-under 33, while British Masters champion Fernandez-Castano went birdie-eagle on the last two.

The biggest surprise of the day was the 78 of Henrik Stenson, who on his last appearance two weeks ago played arguably the best final round of the year to capture the Players Championship in Florida.

The Swede, however, was not as shocked as others might be - he has never finished higher than eighth in eight appearances at the event and he spent last week on holiday in the Bahamas.

Stenson, at fourth in the world the highest-ranked player in the field, gave a tennis analogy.

"Some like hard courts, some like clay. This is not my surface," he said.

"I find it difficult to pick the shots and to judge how the ball will react."

Ryder Cup team-mates Padraig Harrington, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia have stayed away again this year but, asked if he had considered joining them, Stenson stated: "BMW has been a great supporter of the Tour and me personally, so I think it's important to be here."

For a while he was the worst score in the clubhouse but 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell took eight on the long 17th and came in with a 79, then 2007 French Open champion Graeme Storm finished six-seven for 80 and Ireland's Gary Murphy had a nine on the 383-yard 16th in his 82.

Lee Westwood looked as if he might be topping that when he had four successive bogeys from the 12th to crash to seven over.

After birdies at the last two for 77, he quipped: "At least I beat Henrik by one.

"I just didn't play very well - that can happen here."

He was joint second to Colin Montgomerie in 2000 but missed five of the next six cuts and has not had a top 10 since.

As for Montgomerie, he hit back from his closing 80 at the Irish Open with a three-under 69, the same as world number seven Paul Casey and last season's European number one Robert Karlsson.

"One 69 is okay but what I have to do is put another one on the board, then another one," said the Ryder Cup captain. "If I can do that, I'll be thrilled.

"I have to set my goals the way they were - to win. I feel capable of it still and it's just a matter of going out and proving it to myself.

"I haven't been doing that."

Before Ireland he missed two cuts in a row and bowed out of the Spanish Open with an 81.

Masters champion Angel Cabrera failed to make his presence felt in the way he wanted, shooting 74, and American John Daly was only one better than that along with Ernie Els.

With rounds taking more than five and a half hours, there was the chance of one of the late starters stealing the show after nearly all the fans had gone home.

Southport's Lee Slattery had the chance when he reached three under with birdies at the 11th and 12th.

Slattery's hopes of grabbing at least a share of the lead went when he double-bogeyed the 15th.


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HARRINGTON 'HONOURED' BY AWARD

Ireland's three-time major champion Padraig Harrington has been named by his fellow professionals as the inaugural winner of the European Tour Players' Player of the Year award for 2008.

Harrington was honoured at the tour's annual awards dinner at Wentworth - but then departed because he is not playing this week's BMW PGA Championship.

The new award was conceived by the circuit's tournament committee. The US PGA Tour already has such an award - and Harrington also won that for his Open and USPGA double last season.

The Dubliner commented: "I am deeply honoured to be recognised by my fellow European Tour professionals.

"I am sure the awarded will go from strength to strength and to be named as the first winner is very special indeed."


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TPC IS NO 'FIFTH MAJOR' - WESTWOOD

Padraig Harrington, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter are the three notable absentees from this week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Lee Westwood is not inclined to criticise his Ryder Cup team-mates for staying away yet again from the European Tour's flagship event, even in troubled financial times, but he is sure he has his own priorities right.

The Worksop golfer did not play in the Players Championship in Florida two weeks ago and does not feel it deserves the tag of "unofficial fifth major" any more. For him it is not even close.

"I've travelled a lot this year," Westwood said. "I'd been to Korea and it would have been a week off and then straight out to TPC.

"I would have wanted to go Sunday and I couldn't face getting on a plane for a tournament that doesn't mean that much to me any more.

"It used to feel like the fifth biggest tournament in the world when it was played a couple of weeks before The Masters and it was a nice build-up to Augusta.

"It was a great build-up to Augusta, in fact, and now there are just bigger tournaments.

"The World Golf Championships (four of them this year) have gone in front of it. It's obviously a big tournament if you're a member of the PGA Tour and it's big for those guys over there, but I'm not a member over there and I'm not American.

"I'm a European and other tournaments hold bigger precedence for me.

"The BMW PGA is the biggest tournament on our Tour, our equivalent of The Players, and I feel like going (to Sawgrass) would have messed my preparation up."

A concerted effort has been made by the US Tour to elevate The Players to "fifth major" status and it was switched from March to May to make it stand out on his own rather than a tune-up for Augusta, but Westwood is having none of it.

"Strange, the more they try to push it the less it seems to be the fifth biggest tournament.

"I don't know what it is. I felt the course played better when it was played in March and it was a bigger tournament. I played last year (and missed the cut) and it didn't do it for me, so I didn't go back."

Asked what might be the fifth major if TPC is not, the former European number one replied: "I don't think any tournament has that chance.

"There are four majors and everything else. And you would think that if there was to be another major it would be in Australia or something like that - like in tennis where they spread it around.

"Australian, French Open, Wimbledon and American. That seems to me to make more sense."

As it is, of course, three of the four golf majors are in the States - as they have been since they started - and now three of the four World Championships are there. Until this year it was three out of three.

So what does Westwood think of Harrington (Europe's only current major champion), Garcia (Europe's highest-ranked player) and Poulter (Europe's top-scorer in last year's Ryder Cup) not being at the European Tour's most prestigious event?

"They are members of the (US) PGA Tour. You can only plan your schedule around what you think and what means the most to me. I can't advise somebody else.

"You can't play everywhere every week. It would be nice to see every European that's ranked high enough to play in the BMW PGA Championship play, but they may have other priorities."

Poulter and Harrington have had issues with the greens on the West Course.

Poulter, in Texas instead this week, played eight times in a row before staying away last year, missing the cut on six occasions and having a best finish of 33rd.

Harrington, who has opted for a week of practice rather than tournament golf and will also be making his first visit to Open venue Turnberry, has played 10 of the last 13 years with only one top-10 finish.

As for Garcia, who has admitted that tax issues have stopped him visiting Britain more, he has not played the event since coming fifth in 2000 - yet he will be competing in next week's European Open at the London Club in Kent.

Just as was the case when Tiger Woods missed The Open and US PGA last year - through injury in his case, of course - once the action starts on Thursday the focus will turn to those who are there rather than those who are not.

Masters champion Angel Cabrera, Players champion Henrik Stenson - a big win for the Swede regardless what Westwood thinks - eight more of last year's Ryder Cup side, Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Colin Montgomerie, Retief Goosen and former Open champions Ernie Els, John Daly and Ben Curtis.

Most Tour events dream of a cast list that strong.


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WESTWOOD CADDIE TAKES TO THE ROAD

Lee Westwood will have to do without his new caddie the week before The Open in July as he will be walking 90 miles to Turnberry with a golf bag on his shoulder at the time

Rather than working for Westwood in the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, Yorkshireman Billy Foster will be leaving there on the Thursday the tournament starts and plans to get to Turnberry the following Monday.

It is all in aid of two charities - the Darren Clarke Foundation for breast cancer and the Candlelighters Children's Cancer Trust based at St James's Hospital in Leeds.

"I organised the walk while I was working for Sergio Garcia, but I've spoken to Lee and he's fine with it," said Foster.


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DONALD AIMS TO BREAK DROUGHT

Luke Donald plays his first tournament in Europe for a year this week looking to end a barren spell that stretches all the way back to March 2006.

The 31-year-old, who missed the second half of last season with a wrist injury that eventually needed surgery, is back from America for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

It was put to Donald that he had maybe become something of a forgotten man in Europe.

Since he last lifted a trophy Padraig Harrington has won majors galore, Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey and, most recently, Henrik Stenson have tasted glory in the States as well and Rory McIlroy and now amateur Shane Lowry have hit the headlines.

"It's probably understandable," he said. "But I have my own goals, my own aspirations and I feel like I haven't achieved enough yet.

"But I'm working hard to do that and hopefully those results will come.

"I'm looking forward to winning every week I play. That's the goal, but the longer you go the harder it gets I think.

"But there's no reason why Luke Donald can't win this week."

The memory of last year's event should certainly help.

Donald came surging through to a share of third place with a closing 65 and, having finished seventh the previous May, he feels he knows how to play the famous West Course now.

Only two years ago Donald was seventh in the world and the highest-placed European on the list.

Now, even with a second place finish the week after last month's Masters, he is 24th and has three other Englishmen - Casey, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter - ahead of him as well as Garcia, Stenson Harrington, Robert Karlsson and McIlroy.

"I'd love to be top Brit," he commented. "But you can't control what they are doing.

"You just control how you practise, how you prepare and I'm just looking for those results to emulate the hard work."

Donald has a real scare at the World Match Play in Arizona in February when he had to pull out on the final hole of his third round match against Ernie Els when he felt his wrist again.

"I suppose I could blame my doctor for not warning me that such occurrences could happen. At first it felt like a re-injury, but it was just some irritation of some scar tissue."

He has had no problem since and even looks back on his lay-off as beneficial.

"It gave me some appreciation for the game. It made me feel like I wasn't infallible and made me feel I could take a step back, look at what I needed to do to become better.

"I think I'm slowly getting there."

Donald was "only" 38th in The Masters, but next month returns to the Bethpage Black course on which he finished 18th on his US Open debut in 2002.

"I was in about fifth place with nine holes to play. I remember the crowds - they are very rowdy and tell you what they think.

"I had an air shot on 15 and one person told me to pick it up. It was a little bit daunting.

"I probably deserved it - I went straight under the ball for a chip - and I'm not opposed to rowdiness as long as it's the right amount.

"Obviously you don't want people shouting on your backswing, but there's nothing wrong with a rowdy crowd to get the energy of the competition up.

"I think that's what makes the Ryder Cup so special."

One of Donald's sponsors in recent years has been the Royal Bank of Scotland. They still are, but this week they wanted him to wear "NatWest" logos instead.

"Just a little bit less focus on RBS for obvious reasons," he said.


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CASEY CLIMBS TO SIXTH

LOWRY MAKES BIG IMPRESSION

Even before he has made up his mind on whether to turn professional, new Irish Open champion Shane Lowry has been installed at 168th in the world rankings.

After only one appearance on the European Tour, the 22-year-old is already above the likes of Colin Montgomerie, Paul Lawrie, Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn thanks to his stunning play-off victory at County Louth.

And if he was to enter and win this week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, he would leap into the world's top 50 and qualify for next month's US Open.

England's Robert Rock would have moved up into the top 100 for the first time if he had not lost on the third extra hole to Lowry but, as it is, his 125th place is still a career high.

Zach Johnson won the Texas Open and moves back into the world's top 20 at 19th, one spot ahead of Rory McIlroy.

Montgomerie's closing 80 yesterday after he resumed in seventh place means he slumps further down the list to 182nd.

Latest leading positions:

1 Tiger Woods 9.64pts, 2 Phil Mickelson 8.36, 3 Sergio Garcia 6.67, 4 Henrik Stenson 6.33, 5 Geoff Ogilvy 6.28, 6 Kenny Perry 5.75, 7 Paul Casey 5.64, 8 Padraig Harrington 5.19, 9 Vijay Singh 5.16, 10 Camilo Villegas 4.86

11 Robert Karlsson 4.50, 12 Sean O'Hair 4.48, 13 Steve Stricker 4.39, 14 Jim Furyk 4.32, 15 Anthony Kim 4.01, 16 Lee Westwood 3.86, 17 Ernie Els 3.77, 18 Ian Poulter 3.74, 19 Zach Johnson 3.65, 20 Rory McIlroy 3.61

Other leading Europeans:

24 Luke Donald, 25 Martin Kaymer, 28 Alvaro Quiros, 35 Miguel Angel Jimenez, 38 Justin Rose, 39 Ross Fisher, 42 Oliver Wilson, 45 Soren Kjeldsen, 51 Graeme McDowell, 60 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, 65 Peter Hanson, 67 Anders Hansen, 70 Soren Hansen, 73 Francesco Molinari, 87 Fredrik Jacobson, 90 Darren Clarke, 91 Anthony Wall, 95 Johan Edfors, 99 Carl Pettersson


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CASEY CLIMBS TO SIXTH

NICKLAUS BACKING TIGER FEAT

Jack Nicklaus has told Sky Sports News that he expects Tiger Woods to break his record of 18 major victories, even though he's not yet back to his best form.

The reigning world number one has managed one tournament victory - in the Arnold Palmer Invitational - since returning from major knee surgery.

Woods missed much of the 2008 campaign after going under the knife following his play-off win at the US Open. The victory at Torrey Pines was Woods' 14th major - putting him just four behind 'The Golden Bear'.

Nicklaus doesn't expect to remain on top of the all-time list for too much longer, though, and is hoping he can be there to congratulate Woods when he makes it to number 19.

"Tiger is probably not back at this point. He's still winning or getting real close, but he's not playing his best," he said in an exclusive interview.

"When he gets to his best he's going to be tough again because he's a great player."

When asked if Woods will surpass his 18 majors, he replied; "I don't know. I think he probably will.

"His work ethic is good enough and he's young enough. He certainly should pass that. But he's had four operations on the knee. He's had to change his swing, he's struggling with other things. You just don't know.

"I would suspect he would and I hope that I'm around to congratulate him when he does."

Nicklaus believes Woods' biggest competition will come from some of the talented youngsters who are currently coming through.

He picked out Rory McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 20th at The Masters this year in his first appearance in a major, and Anthony Kim as two to look out for.

"I've always said that Tiger's competition is going to come from the youth - people we haven't heard of yet," he added.

"Young McIlroy is coming along and Anthony Kim is coming along. We've got a variety of young players coming along that I've never physically watch play the game.

"It's hard to assess them properly, but we're going to have some good ones."


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CHRISTY O'CONNOR IN HALL OF FAME

Christy O'Connor, 84 last December, has become just the second Irishman to be elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Known throughout his career as 'Himself', O'Connor follows the late great amateur Joe Carr and will be inducted at a ceremony in Florida in November.

"This is a fantastic honour, not only for myself and my family, but for the whole of Ireland and, in particular, all my friends in professional golf who helped me enjoy a wonderful career in the game," he said.

"I never expected to be nominated, never mind elected.

"This news comes in the same week that I celebrate 50 years as a professional at Royal Dublin. I would have to say it is one of the great weeks in my life."

O'Connor won 24 European Tour events and played in 10 Ryder Cups, but never competed in The Masters.

"I couldn't afford to," he commented.

His nephew Christy Junior followed him into the Ryder Cup and played one of the greatest shots in the history of the event to beat Fred Couples as Europe retained the trophy at The Belfry in 1989.


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LEADER MOLINARI THROWN OUT

Italian Francesco Molinari suffered the first disqualification of his European Tour career on Friday - 24 hours after breaking the County Louth course record to lead the Irish Open.

Molinari had added only a 73 to his opening 63 - he was still only two off the lead at the time - but then failed to spot that playing partner Peter Hanson got two figures the wrong way round on his card.

The 26-year-old from Turin had taken a double bogey on the 442-yard 12th, his third, but Hanson waited until the turn to write down the scores because the weather was so bad and entered the six on the 13th instead.

Molinari added his signature, handed it in and left the recording area - and that meant disqualification when the mistake came to light as his statistics were being entered on a computer.

So instead of competing for a first prize of over Ј440,000 this weekend the 2006 Italian Open champion headed out of the event having earned nothing.

It was also a huge blow to his hopes of climbing into the world's top 50 in time to make a US Open debut next month.

Currently 72nd, he might now have to win next week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth to avoid the 36-hole qualifier at Walton Heath the following day.

He has taken part in that three times and failed on each occasion.

Hanson, meanwhile, reflected on his role in the incident.

"I felt guilty the moment I was told what had happened," he said. "I waited only because I didn't want to take the card out when it was raining so hard.

"I know these things happen, but it's just a shame that it happened to Francesco when he was doing so well in the tournament."

It was the second disqualification of the day. Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey threw himself out after discovering a 15th club - one more than permitted - in his bag.

That came after 10 holes of his second round when he stood two under, but because Hoey assumed it was there throughout his opening 71 and he should therefore have added penalty strokes he could not continue because he too had signed for a wrong score.

"I always have a rescue club and two-iron with me every week, but I just presumed my caddie knew that I wouldn't be taking the rescue because of the course," said the Portuguese Open champion.

"It's partly my fault, partly his I would say. I just didn't see it because it was under all the wet weather gear.

"It's so stupid and I can't believe it because I was playing well and trying to get up the leaderboard."

Collated second round scores & totals

(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 72):

129 Shane Lowry 67 62

131 Robert Rock 66 65, Jamie Donaldson 66 65

132 Paul Lawrie 66 66

133 Roope Kakko (Fin) 66 67, Nick Dougherty 66 67, Thomas Levet (Fra) 67 66

134 Soren Kjeldsen (Den) 67 67, Oliver Wilson 66 68, Lee Westwood 68 66, Johan Edfors (Swe) 64 70

135 Wil Besseling (Ned) 69 66, Gary Orr 68 67, Colin Montgomerie 70 65, Alastair Forsyth 67 68, Pablo Martin (Spa) 70 65, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 67 68, Andrew McLardy (Rsa) 69 66

136 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 63 73, Chris Wood 69 67, Anders Hansen (Den) 68 68, Rafael Echenique (Arg) 69 67, Lee Slattery 67 69, Marc Warren 67 69, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 67 69, Gregory Havret (Fra) 70 66

137 Shiv Kapur (Ind) 66 71, Ross Fisher 70 67, David Horsey 70 67, Marcel Siem (Ger) 69 68, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 68 69, Raphael Jacquelin (Fra) 71 66, Rory McIlroy 69 68, David Drysdale 69 68, Stephen Dodd 70 67, Julien Clement (Swi) 67 70

138 Robert Jan Derksen (Ned) 69 69, Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 69 69, Steve Webster 70 68, Graeme McDowell 77 61, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa) 68 70, Jose-Maria Olazabal (Spa) 71 67, Thomas Bjorn (Den) 71 67, Sam Little 72 66

139 Richard Bland 71 68, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 72 67, Paul Waring 72 67, Soren Hansen (Den) 71 68, Maarten Lafeber (Ned) 69 70, Simon Dyson 71 68, Darren Clarke 71 68, Graeme Storm 70 69, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 69 70, Gary Lockerbie 69 70, Brett Rumford (Aus) 73 66, Gary Murphy 70 69, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 71 68, Pedro Figueiredo (Por) 72 67, Emanuele Canonica (Ita) 69 70, Paul McGinley 71 68

140 David Carter 71 69, Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 73 67, Damien McGrane 69 71, Martin Erlandsson (Swe) 68 72, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 70 70, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Ind) 74 66, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 72 68, Peter Hedblom (Swe) 68 72, Paul Broadhurst 71 69, Simon Khan 72 68, Anthony Wall 72 68, Alexander Noren (Swe) 70 70, Michael Jonzon (Swe) 71 69, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 69 71

Missed cut:

141 Mikael Lundberg (Swe) 68 73, Christian Cevaer (Fra) 74 67, Richie Ramsay 72 69, Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 72 69, Robert Dinwiddie 67 74, Steven O'Hara 70 71, Kenneth Ferrie 71 70, Seve Benson 74 67, Anthony Kang (USA) 69 72, Stephen Gallacher 68 73, David Dixon 72 69, Richard Finch 73 68, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 76 65, Bradley Dredge 71 70, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 73 68, Padraig Harrington 73 68

142 Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 75 67, Peter Hanson (Swe) 69 73, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 72 70, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 73 69, Jeppe Huldahl (Den) 70 72, Des Smyth 72 70, Richard Green (Aus) 71 71, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 78 64

143 Jonathan Caldwell 76 67, Alvaro Velasco (Spa) 73 70, Benn Barham 75 68, Peter Lawrie 72 71, Oliver Fisher 73 70, John Daly (USA) 68 75, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 75 68, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 71 72, Oskar Henningsson (Swe) 71 72, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 76 67

144 Eamonn Brady 71 73, Magnus A Carlsson (Swe) 71 73, David Howell 71 73, Scott Strange (Aus) 76 68, Rhys Davies 73 71, Klas Eriksson (Swe) 71 73, Eoin Arthurs 76 68, John Bickerton 77 67, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 72 72, Barry Lane 73 71, Robert Giles 72 72

145 Noel Fox 72 73, Gareth Maybin 73 72, Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 69 76, Mark Brown (Nzl) 71 74, David Frost (Rsa) 70 75, Simon Wakefield 71 74, Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 74 71, Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 74 71, Alessandro Tadini (Ita) 72 73, Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa) 73 72, Ross McGowan 73 72

146 Barrie Trainor 73 73, Hennie Otto (Rsa) 71 75, Taco Remkes (Ned) 76 70, Phillip Price 71 75

147 Michael Mcgeady 75 72, Zane Scotland 76 71, Philip Walton 74 73, John Kelly (USA) 73 74, Scott Drummond 75 72, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 74 73, Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa) 73 74

148 Alexandre Rocha (Bra) 74 74, Anton Haig (Rsa) 74 74, Michael Campbell (Nzl) 76 72, James Kingston (Rsa) 71 77, Scott Arnold (Hkg) 78 70, Phillip Archer 72 76, Simon Thornton 76 72

149 Estanislao Goya (Arg) 70 79

150 Per-Ulrik Johansson (Swe) 74 76, Mark Foster 74 76

153 Damian Mooney 76 77

154 John Dwyer 77 77

DQ: Michael Hoey, Francesco Molinari (Ita)

RTD: Jyoti Randhawa (Ind), David Lynn


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CASEY CLIMBS TO SIXTH

MONTY GETS THIRD RYDER WILD CARD

European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has been given a third wild card for next year's match at Celtic Manor in Wales.

The United States won back the trophy last September after Paul Azinger sought and was granted a further two captain's picks, making four in all.

Montgomerie pushed for an increase on Europe's two when the players' committee met at the County Louth club in Baltray, where The 3 Irish Open begins on Thursday.

The decision to grant him just one extra one, though, shows the importance still placed on trying to get the circuit's stars to play in as many Tour events as possible.

Paul Casey and Ian Poulter were both selected by Nick Faldo last year after deciding to stay in America for the final stretch of the qualifying race.

Poulter in particular was criticised because, with one counting event to go, he could have still qualified automatically, but he stayed away from the Johnnie Walker Championship in Scotland.

Faldo then left out Darren Clarke despite the 2006 cup hero winning two tournaments.

Under the new system five players will still be selected from the European money list and four rather than five from the world ranking points gained in the 12-month qualifying period starting this September.

Montgomerie is expected to give a press conference on Wednesday when the subject will be discussed, but he said a few weeks ago: "Options are good and I would like a little more options than we have right now.

"The 10-2 situation (10 automatic qualifiers and two wild cards) had worked because we were winning, but now we have lost do we go 9-3 or 8-4 like the Americans?"

He once commented that he would be in favour of picking the whole team like a soccer manager, but as a member of the players' committee himself it is thought he was prepared to accept an increase of just one.

"I am one vote, but a more powerful one than I was being the captain," he said. "I will put the case forward."

Committee chairman Thomas Bjorn told PA Sport ahead of the meeting: "We will listen to the captain and the arguments for it, but we are very much a committee that believes that just because we lose one match we don't need to panic.

"It's one of these things that some captains will prefer not to pick anybody and some would like to pick the whole team.

"Monty's certainly not scared of wanting to do what he thinks is right. We will discuss it hard and the fortunate thing is that we have a lot of ex-Ryder Cup players on the committee.

"Monty will want something and if he gets it he will be happy, but if he doesn't he will accept it - I know that for a fact."

If the new system had been in operation last year England's Oliver Wilson would not have qualified.

Montgomerie will be the first European captain to have three wild cards since Bernard Gallacher in 1993.

Gallacher accepted a reduction to two for the following match and with Europe winning that in America his successors Seve Ballesteros, Mark James, Sam Torrance, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam and Faldo all operated with just two.


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