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Monty struggling to forget

23/06/2006

Colin Montgomerie has admitted he is struggling to put the pain of last week's US Open heartbreak behind him, despite beginning brightly in the Johnnie Walker Championship.

The 43-year-old seemed set to claim his first major at Winged Foot last Sunday, only to double-bogey the 18th and hand the title to American Geoff Ogilvy.

And now Montgomerie is attempting to forget the misery of being runner-up in five separate majors by putting in a good performance at Gleneagles, although he admits this is proving problematic.

"It was quite difficult to get my focus. Every shot I hit I thought about the last one there. I won't get it out of my system for a long, long time. I might never get it out of my system," he revealed.

"If I never win a major that will remain with me - of course it will. I need to win one to forget it. Every tournament I play it will ease, but I'll never forget," Montgomerie added.

The Scot is currently topping the leader board with nine-under after 13 holes, after registering a five-under par score of 68 in yesterday's first round, which saw Denmark's Thomas Bjorn take the initiative with 65.

Swede Robert Karlsson is seven-under par after teeing off earlier today, while England's Kenneth Ferrie, Sam Torrance and Paul Casey are among a seven-strong chasing pack of golfers on six-under.

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