Colin Montgomerie is on target to return to golf’s oldest major after posting a first round 69 at today’s Open Championship Local Final Qualifier at Gullane No. 1 course to the east of Edinburgh.

Monty only returned to Scotland on Monday after finishing in a five-way share of ninth place in Sunday’s concluding Senior Players Championship in Pittsburgh.

The event was Monty’s debut as a senior and he ended in sterling manner with a final day 65.

Monty is looking to contest a first Open Championship since 2008 and he got off to a great start to be five under par through 12 holes in overcast and sometimes wet conditions.

However the eight-time European Tour No. 1 let slip a really low score with four bogeys in his next five holes before ending with a birdie to be sharinng second place and just shot off the leading pace.

England’s Steven Tiley shot the lowest score at the four venues with a seven under par 63 at The Musselburgh club and just one shot shy of the course record set by then American amateur and good friend to Rory McIlroy, Scott Pinckley.

Colin Montgomerie attracts plenty of interest competing today at Gullane No. 1 (Photo – www.randa.org)