Montgomerie lets it slip after early birdie barrage
VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Colin Montgomerie was kicking himself for wasting a glorious opportunity to move into title contention in the PGA Championship third round on Saturday.
The 45-year-old Briton, bidding to win the European Tour's flagship event for a record-equaling fourth time, mounted a charge with five birdies in the opening 12 holes.
Montgomerie then let it slip with three bogeys in four holes from the 13th before grabbing his sixth birdie of the round at the par-five 17th.
"It was very disappointing," the eight-times European number one told reporters after returning a 69 for a five-under aggregate of 211. "I had a good chance to get into real contention but not now.
"I was very disappointed to bogey 13, I missed a very short (birdie) putt at the 14th and then bogeyed the 15th and 16th so it was like having four bogeys in a row."
Montgomerie, without a victory since the 2007 European Open, said he struck too made errant shots on the homeward stretch.
"I didn't play the back nine well," said the 1998, 1999 and 2000 PGA champion. "I drove the ball badly and missed too many fairways.
"I got off to a great start, birdying the second, fourth, sixth, seventh and 12th to get to five-under for the round but to then throw it away is very disappointing.
"I am too far back (now) so I just have to hopefully have a good round tomorrow and finish as high up as possible."
(Editing by Justin Palmer)
