Michael Campbell's designs on winning his first European Order of Merit golf title are in danger from a rampant Scot, Colin Montgomerie, who took a huge step towards winning his eighth when he mastered windy conditions at St Andrews to take a one-stroke lead in the Dunhill Links Championship.
Campbell,
enjoying a stellar year, leads the European Order of Merit this season with only a few events left, but is not playing in the valuable Dunhill championship which, if Montgomerie wins, could propel him close to Campbell.
With a $US800,000 ($NZ1.17 million) first prize on offer, Montgomerie can climb to within less than $US200,000 of European Order of Merit leader Michael Campbell with victory.
Neither Campbell nor money-list second and third-placed players Retief Goosen and Angel Cabrera are playing the celebrity event over three courses this week, so Montgomerie has two more rounds to take full advantage.
The 42-year-old Scot fashioned a bogey-free, seven-under-par 65 in the second round to surge to nine-under-par 135, a shot clear of Briton Kenneth Ferrie and two clear of Swede Pierre Fulke and Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez.
A blistering start by Montgomerie saw him chalk up four birdies and an eagle - holing a huge putt from off the green on the fifth.
He excelled in the wind and proved he is now in full control at the home of golf where he has had several disappointments in the past, including losing to much lesser rated players from China, India and Paraguay in Dunhill Cups.
"I understand that the average score around St Andrews was 73.5, so that's the best I've done against the field," said an elated Montgomerie.
"I've never really enjoyed the wind, but I had looked forward to coming back and playing St Andrews after the positive British Open I had."
Ferrie, winner of the European Open in July, with Montgomerie second, moved into contention with a four-under-par 68 at Carnoustie. Fulke's 66, in which he scored an eagle two on the 16th, was also made on the Old Course, while Gonzalez matched Ferrie's 68 at Carnoustie.
Kingsbarns, where Mont-gomerie moved to overnight, is the third course being used.
- NZPA
