Monty Still in Front at U.S. Senior Open


Scotland's Colin Montgomerie maintained the top spot in the U.S. Senior Open on another broiling Oklahoma day. The fourth of five majors on the Champions Tour is taking place at Oak Tree National in Edmond.

After opening with a 6-under 65 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead, Montgomerie held serve, carding an even-par 71 to remain at 6-under - with a two-round total of 136, a stroke ahead of Scott Dunlap, who had a 68.

The 51-year-old Montgomerie, 31-time winner on the European Tour, has never won a USGA championship in his Hall of Fame career. On Friday he carded two birdies and a pair of bogeys.

He knows how difficult it is to get in the lead and stay there. "It was a good effort, to be honest," Montgomerie told reporters. "It's never easy leading. You know, I think that the effort was made from the seventh hole onwards. I was 2-over after six and got back it back to level for the day. It was a good effort. It was very easy to let that go today.

"I did well there today. The heat was okay. I wasn't suffering at all, so that stands in good stead for the next two days. Still leading. Delighted with my position and delighted with the comeback from the sixth hole to birdie seven, and to birdie 17 was a good effort."

Dunlap, a 50-year-old native of Pennsylvania, has experienced a much less illustrious career than Montgomerie and other luminaries in the championship. He knows there's a long way to go but that having a hot putter will be of great assistance. "I have been particularly good with the putter this week," the three-time winner on the Web.com Tour told reporters.

"Been tidy, I have made a couple, made all my short ones. You know, those will be, for anyone in a big - in any tournament, for sure, but especially a major, you know, there's going to be some times where you need to make an ugly par.

"You might have to hole a putt to do it. If you don't, someone else will. That's what a guy does to win something like this. So hopefully when that opportunity presents itself, it will keep the round going and then get going again."

Two strokes behind Montgomerie are Gene Sauers and Bernhard Langer, who each posted 69s. Langer, who won the U.S. Senior Open at Sahalee near Seattle in 2010, recorded six birdies and four bogeys to get to 138.

Langer sounded disappointed afterward about his uncharacteristically erratic play. "The score was pretty decent, but the round was very up and down," said the 56-year-old German, a 21-time winner on the over-50 circuit. "Short game was good, really good.

"Made some good putts and good saves," added the three-time winner this year and leader in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup. "Long game wasn't quite up to par. Missed a lot of fairways today, and then you're behind the 8-ball and trying to struggle and scramble."

Three out of the lead are Lance Ten Broeck (69), Mark Brookes (71), Jeff Sluman (69) and Doug Garwood (69). Tied for ninth at 140 are a couple of major champions, Vijay Singh (71) and Tom Lehman (68).

Singh is making only his second career start on the Champions Tour. "The U.S. Open always has a good golf course and good setup," said the 51-year-old Fijian, who's still a regular on the PGA Tour. "This is a great golf course. It's one of the best, I think. It's challenging.

"It would be pretty tough on the regular tour, as well. I just want to come out here and see how it's like and hopefully take home the trophy on Sunday."

With a few players still on the course as this story went to press, the projected cut is 7-over 149. Making it right on the number is defending champion Kenny Perry, who's carded rounds of 75 and 74.

Among those heading home is Peter Jacobsen, who won his only USGA championship in this event in 2004. The 60-year-old Oregonian posted rounds of 70 and 84.

For updated scoring, visit http://www.usga.org/ChampEventScoreDetail.aspx?id=17179869345&year=2014&type=alllb.