Montgomerie loses his cool

Seville - European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie blew his top in inimitable style when a burst of disco music spoiled his Spanish Open first round on Thursday.

Montgomerie had put together a solid opening round and needed a birdie on his last hole to lie only four shots off the lead when he three-putted for a bogey to the accompaniment of loud disco music from a nearly tent.

"Is this a ****ing party or a golf tournament?," the 46-year-old Briton fumed after signing for a one-under-par 71 which left him six strokes behind early leader Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina.

Montgomerie, seeking a tour victory before he leads Europe into battle against the United States in October, received support from playing partner Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

"I felt sorry for Monty," the Spaniard told reporters. "The music was a bit much. He'd played really well."

Montgomerie had described Fernandez-Castano as a possible candidate for his Ryder Cup team, but the Spaniard could only muster a 73, rescuing his day with four birdies in the last five holes.

Gonzalez continued his love affair with Spain and the Real Club course, where he won the 2004 Seville Open the year after claiming the Madrid Open title.

"I love the country, the people, the food, everything, it's like being home," he told reporters after carding a seven-under 65.

"Today I loved the course again. The rough is sometimes like the US Open rough and the key to my round was only going in it three times."

Gonzalez, who birdied five of the last six holes in the Scandinavian Masters final round to win his fourth European Tour title last year, leads by a stroke from Briton Paul Waring.

Argentine Rafa Echenique held third place after a 68.