Australia’s Matt Jones had matched Reed and Thomas in racing to the turn in 31 to join Reed in a share of the lead, with South Africa’s Haydn Porteous just a shot behind after eagles on the fourth and sixth.
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Former champion Phil Mickelson admitted he felt like crying after going agonisingly close to recording the lowest score in major history in the Open Championship at Royal Troon.
After making Open history on Thursday by hitting the first televised opening tee shot, Montgomerie made the cut on the mark with a four-over 75 in his second round. “I’m an ambassador for the PGA Junior League, I do some stuff for the First Tee in the States, and I feel like I’ve used my success in golf in a very positive way in the community”, he said. They say it’s not finished until the last putt is holed!
While his playing partners, Luke Donald and Marc Leishman, both picked up birdies, Montgomerie escaped with a double bogey and could not have been more relieved.
He recovered from a double-bogey six at the first to shoot a respectable 71.
Jason Day of Australia reacts to a putt on the 17th green during the third round on day three of the 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon on July 16, 2016 in Troon, Scotland.
There’s a small chance we haven’t seen the end of him at the Open.
McIlroy’s chip ended up in a bunker, from where he escaped with a par, while Watson pitched to 10 feet and birdied.
And although the world number four bounced back with a birdie on the 15th, at two under par he was four off the lead held by Porteous, who had completed a brilliant front nine of 30 thanks to birdies on the seventh and eighth.
Much further ahead, on the more hard back nine, Montgomerie bogeyed the par-three 14th to drop back to one under.
Postage due The 123-yard 8th hole, Postage Stamp, inflicted a few scars, even with hardly any wind.
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But, after dropping a shot at 12, further problems came after another complicated bunker visit at 14 before the rough and the bank of the burn undid him on the par-five 16th. “I’d love to think that I can do this again and try and qualify again”. The world No 26 – ranked more than 100 places higher than his next compatriot, Richie Ramsay – went into Moving Day on level par and looking to move into red numbers. It means he will be first out this morning for the final round – although, mercifully for the 53 year-old, a couple of hours later then his 6:35am call on opening day – and must also do so without a competitive playing partner.
