Doing his bit for golf development Colin Montgomerie hosted the European Under-21 Championship at

Doing his bit for golf development, Colin Montgomerie hosted the European Under-21 Championship at Turnberry last autumn. Monty could not have been happier for his fellow Glaswegian when the winner was Barry Hume. Yesterday, the 20-year-old amateur outscored the former European No 1 here in the first round of the Victor Chandler British Masters.
Since Hume has yet to join the professional ranks – this tournament is almost a warm-up for next week’s Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl – he was rated at odds of 500-1 by the sponsors “I told a few people to get in there,” said Hume. He backed up their investment with an opening 69, while Montgomerie scored a 70. The leaders, Spain’s Santiago Luna and Robert-Jan Derksen from the Netherlands, had 67s.”There is a long way to go, but that was a very good effort by Barry,” said Monty “It was very difficult out there.

The 16th and the 18th were playing very long.” Those were the only two holes where Hume dropped shots, having got to five under with three to play.Bright sunshine and heavy showers came and went, but it was the wind that caused the problems on The Marquess course, which is being used for tournament play for only the second time “The wind was tricky to judge,” Hume said “I had to trust my swing and it worked out well I felt really calm. I don’t feel overawed.”A reason for that, in only his second professional tournament, might be that Hume is prepared to pick the minds of those who have been there before. “I am always interested in people who ask questions,” Montgomerie said “I did that myself. You have got to be brave enough to ask and he did.”Making the cut would be a fine achievement for Hume, the reigning Scottish Amateur champion, but would also leave him little time to get to Wales.

The 36-hole strokeplay qualifying for the Amateur begins on Monday. “I have already had a practice round at Porthcawl because I knew I wouldn’t have time if I made the cut here.”Hume, a member at Haggs Castle, only started playing golf after he was diagnosed with Perthis disease as a 10-year-old. “It’s a softening of the bones and I had to stop playing football,” he said. “I started playing golf for something to do and by the time I could go back to football I decided to stick with golf.”Among those on 68 was Ian Poulter, who was playing alongside Montgomerie. The shot of the day, described as a “dear Lord moment” by Monty, was Poulter’s second at the 12th. From rubbish in the trees he carried a pond, found the green and then holed the birdie-putt.Poulter, 26, just missed out on a Ryder Cup place last year, but remains the first reserve if one of the 10 automatic qualifiers is unfit.BRITISH MASTERS (Woburn) Leading first round scores (GB or Irl unless stated): 67 R-J Derksen (Neth), S Luna (Sp). 68 P Price, T Levet (Fr), S Hansen (Den), I Poulter, R Russell.