Colin Montgomerie, earning at the incredible rate of over £23,000 for every round in Europe this season, shows no sign of letting up.

Twenty under par in winning his last two tournaments on `home soil' - in Malmo and Munich - Montgomerie maintained the same standard with a five-under-par 67 on the opening day of the £714,000 Victor Chandler British Masters at Woburn.

And although the 36-year-old Scot finds himself two behind Australian Stephen Allan, a tour record-equalling sixth victory of the season is already in his sights.

Montgomerie shares second place with midlander Steve Webster, Italian Silvio Grappasonni, Allan's compatriot Stephen Leaney and Dane Soren Kjeldsen, who in the last group out charged to eight under before having three successive bogeys.

Allan's remained the round of the day, therefore, but Montgomerie was delighted with his performance - as he has been on just about every working day in Europe this year.

"I was never in any trouble to think about dropping a shot. I didn't miss a green and played very solid - it's always nice when you don't make a mistake," he said.

The world number three, leading European money-winner for the last six seasons, is bang on course to make that seven having already set record earnings of over £1.1 million.

In Europe alone his winnings per round are more than Seve Ballesteros has picked up all season - and even his £1,300 per hole is more than 20 players have pocketed in all their travels around the globe.

Paired as he was with Ryder Cup captain Mark James, who managed only a one-over 73, conversation inevitably turned to Boston in two weeks' time.

Montgomerie knows he will have to shoulder a lot of responsibility if Europe, massive underdogs, are to make it a third victory in a row over the Americans.

"In my past Ryder Cups you could always rely on the Langers, the Faldos, the Woosnams if you like and Seve. But now I'm the oldest on the team, which is unbelievable," said Montgomerie.

"It is a challenge certainly. All I can do is try hard and help whichever partner I'm given.

"The World Matchplay tournament we had at the start of the year proved an awful lot. I was sixth in the world and Craig Stadler I think was 58th and he beat me easily.

"Eighteen holes matchplay is a very quick game. You get ahead early it's difficult to get it back.

"Tiger Woods is the strength in world golf right now and he'll be very difficult to play against, but as opposed to him I suppose it's all quite even."

Lee Westwood, whose own immediate target is trying to equal the tour record of Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo in winning a fourth successive event in Europe, was alongside Montgomerie with three to play.

But then came a double-bogey six after the Worksop golfer hit a three wood ("it should have been a two iron") into the trees on the 425-yard dog-leg 16th and he had to birdie the next to tuck in just behind on 68.

"I played nicely and I'm in a good position," he said.

On the same mark is Bernhard Langer, playing for the first time since the "big disappointment" of not being chosen for the Ryder Cup.

"I thought I had a very good chance but then Mark told me he was picking Andrew Coltart," said Langer.

"We all knew it was his choice but it took a little bit of time to get over - it was one of my goals and I played more than I would usually have done to try to make it."

Allan, whose parents emigrated from Edinburgh to Melbourne in 1970, is in his third season on the European circuit and last year won the German Open, finishing 16th on the Order of Merit.

To improve on that was the 25-year-old's goal for 1999, but he currently lies only 84th and only last week had a round of 81 in Switzerland.

He suddenly started to find some form during Wednesday's pro-am, however, and never looked back from the time he began the tournament proper with three straight birdies.

Four more followed and now he has the chance to more than double his earnings for the season in one week. Top prize on Sunday is £119,043.

Ian Woosnam, winner of the event the last time it was at Woburn in 1994, switched back to a short putter and raised his hopes of a first victory for over two years with a 68.

The 41-year-old Welshman will this month be missing his first Ryder Cup since his 1983 debut, but gives Europe "a good chance as long as Mark gets the pairings right.

"The guys are not frightened of anybody. I'm sure they will do well but we've got to get off to a good start. If the Americans get on top then we're going to struggle.

"I wish I was there, but I'll be watching on TV."

Darren Clarke and Open champion Paul Lawrie will be there, but they wish they were playing better than he is right now.

Both players also double-bogeyed the 16th but Clarke finished on 71 and Lawrie, having opened with an eagle, slumped to a 76.

The other member of the Ryder Cup team on view is Swede Jarmo Sandelin and his "trial separation" from his regular caddie Linda Lundberg, also his girlfriend, began reasonably well with a two-under 70.

Sandelin has linked up with Oxford chemistry graduate Tim King, former caddie of Per-Ulrik Johansson, to see if it makes any difference to his play prior to the Ryder Cup and will make a decision this weekend on who works for him in Boston.

English golfer Steve Webster became a good advertisement for the holiday island of Cyprus today.

Disgusted with not making any money on the European Tour since early July, the 23-year-old from Warwickshire took himself off on holiday.

And despite a 24-hour flight delay in coming home at the start of this week, Webster shot a five-under-par 67 for a share of second place after the first round of the Victor Chandler British Masters at Woburn.

"The last two months I've struggled," he said, after covering the front nine in a five-under 29. "I don't know why, but I was more focused today.

"I had my mum and dad watching for the first time this year - so I had to focus."