Skip to main content
U.S. Edition
Search
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Golf In association with:

Double bogey halts Monty's charge

story.monty.jpg
Montgomerie views the scenery from the 11th at San Roque.

SAN ROQUE, Spain -- Last year's European number one Colin Montgomerie looked set to take the lead on the first day of the Spanish Open on Thursday until a sorry double bogey on 14th derailed his round.

The Scot was six-under when he drove onto a cart path and took two shots to get back onto the fairway. It left him with an opening 68 at San Roque.

England's Graeme Storm and Jose-Felipe Lima of Portugal shot seven-under 65s to share the early lead.

Raul Ballesteros, the nephew of Seve Ballesteros, took an early lead but dropped three shots on the last two holes. He finished a stroke behind on 66.

Montgomerie, who had missed five straight cuts before finishing third last week in China, lost momentum after his unlucky bounce. "It stopped me in my tracks," he said.

Other big names, including Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thomas Bjorn, started later Thursday.

Storm had eight birdies, two on putts of 30 and 20 feet. He birdied four of the first five holes before dropping his only shot at the ninth.

"It was great to capitalize on perfect conditions," he said. "I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but everything seems to be going in the right direction."

Lima, who grew up in France before adopting his parents' Portuguese nationality, described his play as "very solid."

He won the European Tour's St. Omer Open in 2004, his rookie year.

Ballesteros, 25, said he had spoken to his uncle, who helped design the course, about how to play it.

"I want to be a full-time player, but I need to play more to get experience," he said.

"Right now I can only play seven tour events. I'd play every one if I could. But I have to do something big."

Story Tools
Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time! cover
Top Stories
Get up-to-the minute news from CNN
CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.
Top Stories
Get up-to-the minute news from CNN
CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.
CNN U.S.
CNN TV E-mail Services CNN Mobile CNNAvantGo Ad Info About Us Preferences
Search
© 2007 Cable News Network LP, LLLP.
A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map.
Offsite Icon External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pipeline Icon Pay service with live and archived video. Learn more
Radio News Icon Download audio news  |  RSS Feed Add RSS headlines