Golf: Late surges keep Els and Monty in the hunt at Wentworth

Virginia Water, England - Ernie Els and three-times champion Colin Montgomerie had to produce strong finishes in difficult conditions to make the halfway cut in the BMW Championship on Friday.

World number three Els, determined to win the European Tour's flagship event for the first time, birdied the last three holes of the second round while Montgomerie picked up shots on 16 and 17.

South African Els fired a three-under-par 69 to finish on two-under 142 with Briton Montgomerie a further two strokes back, right on the cutline, after carding a 73 at a sun-baked Wentworth Club.

Seventy-two players qualified for the final two rounds after the cut was made at level-par 144.

"I had a good finish and hit some good shots coming in," three-times major winner Els told reporters after holing out from 30 feet for birdie at the last.

"I'm not too far away from playing well. My swing feels okay, I just made some silly mistakes.

"I have an outside chance (of winning)," added the 35-year-old who has twice clinched an unprecedented hat-trick of World Match Play titles over Wentworth's West Course.

"The course is becoming tougher. If I can get off to a good start tomorrow, anything can happen."

Els, whose Wentworth home backs on to the 16th hole, said he had never seen the par-72 layout so dry.

"They've got to put water on these things because 17 is really getting out of hand a little bit," he said. "It's starting to make those brown rings. If your ball comes in and hits a brown spot, it's gone."

Seven-times European number one Montgomerie, who needs to finish no worse than 16th to have a chance of qualifying for next month's US Open, agreed.

"I couldn't believe it when I saw the 17th green," said the 41-year-old Scot. "It's burned and it needs water desperately.

"Everyone is finding it difficult to score here -- one to get it (the ball) close and two to hole the putt."

Montgomerie, who won the (former) PGA Championship at Wentworth three years in a row from 1998, believes he can clinch his 29th European Tour title this week.

"I was way, way behind here (after two rounds) when I first won in '98," he said. "I just made the cut that year and I won the tournament.

"I'm not saying I'm going to win this year but it's one of those tournaments where I could do well because of the course conditions."

The Scot was delighted with his rousing finish on Friday after lying two over for the tournament with three holes to play.

"I had to make two birdies on the last three holes or else a very proud record would come to an end," he said.

"I've made all the cuts here in my professional career here and I didn't want to miss out."


Leading scores after the second day of play at the BMW Championship (Great Britain and Ireland unless stated, par 72):


133: Peter Hedblom (SWE) 68 65


136: Paul McGinley 72 64


137: Nick O'Hern (AUS) 68 69


138: Padraig Harrington 70 68, Peter Hanson (SWE) 69 69


139: MICHAEL CAMPBELL (NZL) 71 68, Peter Lonard (AUS) 69 70, Ben Curtis (USA) 68 71, Lee Slattery 70 69, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 72 67


140: Marten Olander (SWE) 68 72, Robert-Jan Derksen (NED) 71 69, Paul Broadhurst 70 70, Ian Poulter 71 69, Retief Goosen (RSA) 70 70, Darren Clarke 71 69, Jose-Filipe Lima (POR) 67 73, Jonathan Lomas 72 68, Damien McGrane 69 71, Robert Coles 69 71, Angel Cabrera (ARG) 70 70, Marcus Fraser (AUS) 68 72


141: Richard Green (AUS) 71 70, Jose Maria Olazabal (SPA) 72 69, Kenneth Ferrie 72 69, Steven O'Hara 69 72, Alastair Forsyth 69 72, Nick Faldo 70 71, Soren Hansen (DEN) 70 71


Others (Australian):


144: Peter Fowler (Aus) 68 76.

- REUTERS