Golf: Montgomerie on top in US

Colin Montgomerie closed some tired fingers on the WGC American Express Championship with a one-shot lead after the second round. But of more concern to Kiwi golfer Michael Campbell was that Montgomerie may be taking a tighter grip on the European Order of Merit, which had seemed to be Campbell's for the taking.

The Scot is bidding to win for an unprecedented eighth EOM title and, going into the WGC, was only 130,000 ($227,000) behind Campbell. As the WGC is a European-sanctioned event, a Montgomerie win could catapult him into the lead.

Campbell may need to push further up the leaderboard. Yesterday's two-under 68 moved him to equal 31st place. There are only three more European events left, all in Spain, including the rich Volvo Masters at the classic Valderrama course.

A Montgomerie victory here will leave Campbell scrambling if he is to rescue his first EOM title. However, there were signs yesterday that Montgomerie, who won the Dunhill Links Championship last week, was tiring. His first round, a brilliant 64, defied jet lag as the Scot fired fine approach shots close to the flag and sank what difficult par putts he had. In the second round, however, Montgomerie endured his first bogeys, although he did manage a mini-revival with birdies which called to mind his shot-making and ball striking of the previous day. However, he slipped back at the end of the round for a one-under 69 and a seven-under total of 133.

That meant his overnight three-shot lead had been cut to one - with Briton David Howell and American John Daly, who both shot three-under 67s to reach six-under 134, on Montgomerie's heels.

Tiger Woods, chasing a record 10th individual WGC title, battled to a two-under 68 and leads a group of six at five-under 135 - including Jim Furyk, Fred Funk, Angel Cabrera, Sean O'Hair and Mark Calcavecchia.

- REUTERS