Reuters
Friday, March 23

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Colin Montgomerie remained in contention for his first PGA Tour win after carding a second-round 71 on Friday at the $6 million Players Championship.

Montgomerie's performance was one of the few bright spots on a glum day for the European golf contingent. Montgomerie's Ryder Cup teammates Lee Westwood and Paul Lawrie are both in danger of missing the cut.

The cut is expected to come at either 2-over or 3-over.

Westwood appeared to be heading for a solid day when he opened his round with three birdies on the front nine. But he suffered a total collapse on the back nine, bogeying four holes, including a quadruple-bogey 8 on the 18th after finding the water twice.

Westwood finished with a 3-over 75 and stands at 4-over 148 through two rounds.

Lawrie had an even more disappointing day, shooting a 6-over 78 to go 9-over for the tournament.

Jesper Parnevik, winner of the Honda Classic two weeks ago, also guaranteed himself an early exit after shooting a 79 to leave him 5-over after 36 holes.

Darren Clarke rebounded from an opening-round 75 to card a 2-under 70 to secure a weekend date. So did Ian Woosnam, who shot his second straight 73 to stand at 2-over for the tournament.

The early trip home is unlikely to disappoint Westwood, who said he was prepared to leave Florida at a moment's notice to return to Britain where is wife is about to give birth to their first child.

Montgomerie, however, has worked hard to make sure he avoids a premature exit from golf's richest event.

Looking for his first win on American soil, Montgomerie produced a solid 71 for the second successive day on the demanding Stadium course, considered one of golf's toughest layouts. He is seven shots back of the early clubhouse leader, Jerry Kelly.

A force everywhere else in the golfing world, having won a record seven European Order of Merit titles and scored victories in Asia and Australia, Montgomerie has never been able to translate that success on to American soil.

The 37-year-old has come agonizingly close.

He has finished runner-up four times, including twice at the U.S. Open and PGA championships, gaining the dubious distinction of being one of the world's best golfers never to have won a major.