PGA Day two: Montgomerie delighted by recovery

Colin Montgomerie in action. Picture: Getty

The 51-year-old was one-under for the day and two-under for the tournament before following a bogey at the par-3 14th with a double-bogey two holes later.

But he finished with a birdie, almost holing out with a wedge from 130 yards, for a second-round 72 to sit level for the tournament.

“It was a bloody good effort because I was making an a*** of that after I three-putted the 14th,” said Montgomerie, who got into the field as the US Senior PGA champion.

Following the double-bogey at the 16th, he said:

“I then hit a great wedge into the last but it was missable as it was downhill and left to right - horrible.

“Making the cut was the objective. I’m playing on a big boys’ golf course with the world’s best players and it is nice to be playing at the weekend. I’m very keen to go now in the final two rounds.”

Marc Warren, who partnered Montgomerie to World Cup glory in 2007, is also level for the tournament after a second successive 71.

It was illuminated by an eagle-3 at the tenth, where the 33-year-old holed a gap wedge from 90 yards to land a “bonus”.

He gave those shots back straight away by taking bogeys at the next two holes before holing from six feet for a par at the last.

“Apart from a ten-footer at the fourth, that was the only putt I holed all day and hopefully it will give me confidence and I’ll be able to kick on over the weekend,” added Warren, who tied 12th in this event a year ago.

Russell Knox, playing in only his second major, missed out by two shots despite a brave one-under 70.

“I played very well today, striking the ball really well,” said the Inverness man, who left birdie putts hanging on the lip at both the 13th and 18th.

Reflecting on a double-bogey at the former in his opening round, he added: “Ultimately, my wedge shot into the water there is going to cost me.”

The 29-year-old has pulled out of next week’s Wyndham Championship to prepare for his debut in the FedEx Cup Play-Offs.

“If things go right for me in the Play-Offs, it would have meant me playing six in a row,” said Knox of that decision.