Golf Digest: Colin Montgomerie insisted he was relishing an unscheduled weekend off after missing his first cut of the season in the Wales Open yesterday.
Montgomerie admitted he was physically and emotionally drained by his tough schedule and the lingering controversy over his incorrect placing in the Indonesian Open in March.
The former European number one carded three birdies but the same number of bogeys and double bogeys over the Roman Road course at Celtic Manor to slump to a second round 75 and an eight-over-par halfway total.
That was a remarkable 19 shots off the lead held by Italy's Alessandro Tadini, the Challenge Tour graduate who broke the newly-established course record by a shot with a flawless 62.
At 11 under par Tadini was two shots ahead of England's David Lynn, who carded a 66, with Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez a shot further back following a 67.
Montgomerie has travelled the world in the hunt for enough ranking points to climb back into the world's top 50. And after achieving that goal in last week's BMW Championship at Wentworth, the 41-year-old admitted he was looking forward to a few days off before travelling to Pinehurst for the US Open.
"I'm very tired but I've got nine days off now and I'm looking forward to that," said Montgomerie.
On an undistinguished day for the Irish, Paul McGinley shot a one-over 70 to be level, while Peter Lawrie and Gary Murphy were a shot back on the cut mark after 71s. Damien McGrane (72) and Stephen Browne (73) missed the cut.
US Tour: Playing for the first time since his record streak of 142 consecutive cuts at US PGA Tour events came to an shuddering end at the Byron Nelson championship three weeks ago, Tiger Woods was quickly back in familiar form in yesterday's second round of the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio.
Woods fired four birdies through his first seven holes and grabbed another at the par five 11th to move to eight-under-par and a share of the lead with Jeff Sluman.
They were a shot ahead of a group of four, including Australian left-hander Nick O'Hern, who dropped a shot at the last for a 70, Harrison Frazar, who also bogeyed the 18th for a 68, Lucas Glover (70) and Jonathan Kaye (70).
Sluman was in the clubhouse after a one-under 71 to cling to the second round clubhouse lead.
Sluman, who had begun the day with a shot lead after a sizzling opening 65, maintained his advantage with a more modest effort at the Muirfield Village Golf Club, mixing two birdies with his only bogey through two rounds.
European Women: Germany's Martina Eberl seized the lead after a career-low round on the second day of the BMW Women's Italian Open at Sheraton Golf Parco de' Medici.
The 23-year-old carded a seven-under-par 65 to lift her to 10 under par. Ireland's Rebecca Coakley remains six under after a 72.
