Montgomerie's last-hole bogey hits qualification hopes

Just as he had feared, Colin Montgomerie made a vital error here in the Caltex Masters to dent his chances of qualifying for next week's Players Championship. The Scot bogeyed the final hole to card a one-under-par 71 at Laguna National, four shots off the clubhouse leaders.

Just as he had feared, Colin Montgomerie made a vital error here in the Caltex Masters to dent his chances of qualifying for next week's Players Championship. The Scot bogeyed the final hole to card a one-under-par 71 at Laguna National, four shots off the clubhouse leaders.

Australia's Peter Fowler and France's Thomas Levet set the clubhouse target at five-under after early rounds of 67 before an afternoon thunderstorm forced play to be suspended for two and a half hours. New Zealand's Eddie Lee was eight under par with one hole to play and among 57 players unable to finish their rounds.

Montgomerie began the event ranked 51st in the world and needing to move into the top 50 to book his place at a tournament often labelled "the fifth Major".

The Scot bogeyed the last after a poor drive and worse bunker shot. "I'm just disappointed to bogey the last," Montgomerie said. "It was a poor bunker shot. I made one mistake all day, I do that too often these days."

Ireland's Peter Lawrie, the European Tour rookie of the year in 2003, was among an eight-strong group on four-under, alongside the South African James Kingston.