Colin Montgomerie and Miguel Angel Jiménez rolled back the years at Chambers Bay to lessen the odds on the US Open Championship serving up a first Major winner over the age of 50.
The 51 year olds both completed one under par rounds of 69 to sit just four behind the day one pacesetters Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson.
Montgomerie qualified for his first US Open since 2008 by winning the senior version last year and insisted he could challenge for a first «regular» major title in the event where he finished second three times.
“Can I win? Stranger things have happened,” Montgomerie said after a round containing four birdies and three bogeys.
“What Tom Watson did at Turnberry aged 59 (losing a play-off for the 2009 Open) has given everybody over 50 hope. So you never know.
“If the ball runs my way and I hole a lot of putts over the next three days, you just never know. I could get into contention, which would be great.”
Montgomerie’s round started with a brilliant approach to tap-in range for one of four birdies, while Jiménez bogeyed the first and second but hit back with four gains of his own and only one further dropped shot.
«In practice I was shooting more like 80 but this morning the course was softer; they had to do that because they knew it would dry out,” added Montgomerie.
«The greens were pretty receptive early on and allowed scoring. It’s just the length I have an issue with, especially off the tee.
«This is not a normal links course where you can run the ball into the greens. You have to carry the ball onto the surfaces and often that is right on my limit. So today a 69 was super. To break 70 was more than I was expecting.
«I wanted to represent the title I won last year and the position I hold. There’s a long way to go, but 69 is a good start. It’s nice to justify the exemption I was given.»
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