Conditions were more blustery today but the Ryder Cup player would have been disappointed not to have advanced his overnight score of 12 under further as others around him all seemed to be taking the chances offered by this very friendly course.

The round began well for Montgomerie, playing for the third successive day with Ryder Cup team-mate Paul Casey, as birdies at the second and third put him into a share of the lead but a run of those three bogeys from the fourth dropped him back into the pack.

However, a good approach to the short 296-yard seventh and a short birdie putt moved him back to 12 under, while Casey also sunk a three-foot birdie putt – his second of the day – to go into a tie of the lead at 14 under.

Another great iron shot to the 580-yard ninth set up the chance of an eagle for Montgomerie but his 28ft putt shaved the left edge of the hole, although he walked away with birdie to go to 13 under.

That was one behind joint-leader Casey who three-putted the green for par after mis-reading the break on his eagle putt of similar distance to his playing partner’s and then missing a straightforward 18-inch effort back for birdie.

Ireland’s Paul McGinley, the third member of last year’s victorious Ryder Cup team playing in China, also moved into contention at 12 under with four birdies and two bogeys in his first 12 holes.

Korea’s Wook-Soon Kang set the early clubhouse lead at 14-under with a round of 65, with Thailand’s Chawalit Plaphong joining Casey also on that score but still out on the course.