Montgomerie pulls out of Middle East tournaments

Colin Montgomerie yesterday became the first big-name player to withdraw from the "Middle East swing" of the European Tour. Montgomerie was due to play in both next week's Dubai Desert Classic and the Qatar Masters on 13-16 March. The Scot has course-building projects in both locations but has instead decided to remain in America. He has entered next week's Ford Championship at Doral in Miami.

With the possibility of war in Iraq looming all year, both the Dubai and Qatar tournaments have been in doubt. The Dubai Classic is due to feature the best two players in the world in Tiger Woods and Ernie Els but both have expressed doubts about fulfilling their commitments. Each says they will make a decision this weekend.

Woods, who lost at the 72nd hole to Thomas Bjorn in Dubai two years ago, is reported to be on an appearance fee of $2.5m (£1.67m) to play in the event where Els is the defending champion. Due to a quirk in the calendar, the South Africa is also the reigning champion at the Doral event and may decide, like Montgomerie, to play there.

Montgomerie hasplayed only three competitive rounds so far this year, two in missing the cut in Los Angeles last year and 16 holes in losing to Alex Cejka in the first round of the Accenture World Matchplay on Wednesday.

After the defeat Montgomerie's manager, Guy Kinnings of the International Management Group, requested a release from Ken Schofield, the executive director of the European Tour, to play in the Doral event on the US Tour instead of Dubai. It was at La Costa last year that Monty vowed never again to play in the States, a threat he later withdrew.

Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood yesterday both officially withdrew from the Qatar Masters in Doha, while the Australian Adam Scott, last year's winner, has entered the Honda Classic, the opposing US Tour event. Last Friday, the Foreign Office warned against any "non-essential travel" to Qatar, where there is a large American military presence. "We are giving this advice because of the increasing regional tension and of the risk of terrorist action," the statement said. The families of government and embassy staff have been advised to leave the country.

So far the European Tour has been making all the necessary plans to conduct both tournaments. Schofield said he would be travelling to Dubai on Tuesday and Doha next Thursday. David Probyn, the tournament director of the Qatar Masters, said: "We see the Foreign Office's advice as pretty much aimed at holiday-makers as opposed to businesses. Unless there is any dramatic change to the situation we intend to be there." Scott said: "I love the golf in Dubai and Qatar but I don't feel like risking anything for a couple of weeks of golf. I'm being told different things, like Qatar is going to be called off." However, Clarke confirmed he had not pulled out of Dubai. "At the moment I am still going," said the Irishman, after making swift work of Davis Love in the second round of the World Matchplay. Clarke's 7 and 6 victory equalled the biggest winning margin in the event.

Clarke hit his tee shot at the short second to two feet and almost holed in one at the fifth before chipping in from just off the green at the sixth to go four-up. Love lost a ball at the par-five third and Clarke almost became embarrassed that all the luck should be on his side.

"I got all the breaks and Davis none," Clarke, the 2000 champion, said. "I played well at the start and then when I hit the odd bad shot I got away with it. I have a lot of respect for Davis and it almost got to the point where I was willing him to hole a putt."

There were heavy showers throughout the morning and conditions at La Costa were not easy. But Clarke feels comfortable at the venue. "Some courses fit my eye very well and with the rough so wet there is more of an emphasis on being on the fairway, as there was when I won here in 2000." Clarke plays Jim Furyk in today's third round but Padraig Harrington lost to Scott Hoch 3 and 2 and Justin Rose was defeated by the defending champion, Kevin Sutherland, at the last hole. Woods did not drop a shot for the second day running as he beat K J Choi 4 and 3.

WORLD MATCHPLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS (La Costa, Carlsbad, Calif) First-round scores: T Woods (US) bt C Pettersson (Swe) 2 and 1; K J Choi (S Kor) bt F Funk (US) 1 hole; J Leonard (US) bt J M Olazabal (Sp) 2 holes; B Estes (US) lost to S Leaney (Aus) 2 and 1; P Harrington (Irl) bt J Cook (US) 4 and 3; S Hoch (US) bt T Lehman (US) 3 and 1; C DiMarco (US) lost to T Izawa (Japan) 2 and 1; E Romero (Arg) bt J Huston (US) 2 and 1; R Goosen (SA) lost to J Haas (US) 4 and 3; S Maruyama (Japan) bt S McCarron (US) 4 and 3; N Price (Zim) bt P Lawrie (GB) 4 and 3; C Howell (US) lost to N Fasth (Swe) 1 hole; S Garcia (Sp) lost to K Sutherland (US) 2 and 1; D Duval (US) lost to J Rose (GB) 20th; R Mediate (US) bt S Katayama (Japan) 1 hole; B Langer (Ger) lost to A Scott (Aus) 3 and 2; E Els (SA) lost to P Tataurangi (NZ) 20th; P Lonard (Aus) bt K Perry (US) 2 and 1; R Allenby (Aus) bt T Immelman (US) 4 and 2; M Campbell (NZ) lost to J Sluman (US) 3 and 2; D Love (US) bt P Casey (GB) 5 and 4; D Clarke (GB) bt T Clark (SA) 4 and 3; J Furyk (US) bt L Mattiace (US) 2 and 1; R Beem (US) lost to S Lowery (US) 1 hole; P Mickelson (US) bt R Karlsson (Swe) 1 hole; C Parry (Aus) lost to B Faxon (US) 2 and 1; M Weir (Can) bt L Roberts (US) 26th; J Kelly (US) bt T Bjorn (Den) 5 and 4; D Toms (US) bt A Hansen (Den) 2 and 1; S Appleby (Aus) lost to C Riley (US) 1 hole; C Montgomerie (GB) lost to A Cejka (Ger) 3 and 2; A Cabrera (Arg) bt S Verplank (US) 3 and 2. Second round: Love lost to Clarke 7 and 6; Harrington lost to Hoch 3 and 2; Izawa bt Romero 3 and 1; Furyk bt Lowery 6 and 5; Mediate lost to Scott 1 hole; Sutherland bt Rose 1 hole; Cejka bt Cabrera 4 and 2; Woods bt Choi 4 and 3; Leonard lost to Leaney 6 and 5; Toms bt Riley 1 hole.