Colin Montgomerie displayed his eagerness to qualify for next month’s U.S. Open in making a 900-mile round trip just to grab a putter.

After shooting a BMW PGA final round 81 for a worst-ever 72-hole round tally, Monty left Wentwort at 2pm arriving home to his Dunning house in Perthshire at 8pm.

Then after having dinner with his wife and family, Monty jumped back in his car leaving at 11pm and arriving at Walton Heath in Surrey at 6am in readiness for his 9.10am tee-off in the 36-hole qualifier.

And the journey didn’t do the three-time U.S. Open runner-up any harm in carding an opening round four under par 68 to be trailing just two strokes from the leaders heading to the afternoon’s final 18 holes.

“Conditions were great and the course good, and I shot four under 68 which is one of the better scores on the Old Course here at Walton Heath,” said Monty.

“I have to play the New Course this afternoon and it is slightly easier so I have to go out and shoot four or five under to qualify and then I will be back in a Major Championship which will be good.”

Monty last played in a Major in missing the cut in the 2010 U.S. PGA Championship.