IT WAS a day of mixed fortunes for Scotland's Wentworth specialists as Gary Orr clambered into the top ten at the halfway mark of the BMW PGA while Colin Montgomerie, a three-time champion, missed the cut in this event for the first time in 19 years.
Eight years since Orr relished the most successful season of his career and won twice on the European Tour, the Helensburgh golfer was hopeful after signing for 68 and 138 that the virtue of minimising mistakes will serve him well this weekend.
Or
r, who has had five top tens at Wentworth, made light of adversity by compiling six birdies in 15 holes. Having found sand at the first and third, he remained composed enough to avoid further errors.
Orr, 41, felt yesterday's round was shipshape. "You can handle a bogey or two, but you have to keep the big numbers off your card," he reflected. "That's what happened in 2000. I kept it tidy."
Throughout his career Montgomerie was also well groomed from tee to green. Yesterday, however, his golf was slipshod. A trumpeted revival never materialised as the Scot signed for 75 and 148. Currently 90th, he is set to slip further down the world rankings and will be overtaken on Monday as the leading Scot by Alastair Forsyth, who posted 70 for 142, if the Paisley man finishes inside the top 50.
Forsyth, though, will not be the first player from the home of golf to surpass Monty in the rankings over the past couple of decades. When Stephen Gallacher won the Dunhill Links four years ago, the Bathgate golfer also briefly passed Montgomerie in the global pecking order.
Not surprisingly, Montgomerie wasn't in the cheeriest of moods after taking six on the home hole. He said to one reporter: "You can take that smile off your face for a start. There's nothing funny." Understandably irked by his own shortcomings on a course which used to bring out the best in him, the Scot confessed: "I didn't play well, I didn't putt well enough and you get what you deserve in this game."
Asked if he was at all consoled by Nick Faldo's words of encouragement regarding the Ryder Cup, Montgomerie replied: "That was the furthest thing from my mind."
Monty's partner at the World Cup last year, Marc Warren, is well placed to earn a decent cheque tomorrow after carding 70 for 139.
