COLIN Montgomerie woke up this morning without a negative thought in his head.

As he took a three-shot lead into the second round of the Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St Annes, he knew he had to continue in the same frame of mind if he is to win his first major title on Sunday evening.

Earlier in the week Monty, along with nearly everyone else, doubted if he would ever make the breakthrough.

He arrived here with only one victory to his name in more than a year, had slipped out of the world's top 10 - and for the first time was not considered one of the favourites.

All of which probably worked to his advantage for, with the pressure off, he fired a superb six-under-par 65 to make his best start to an Open.

He admits he will need to adopt a different approach when he starts his second round this afternoon but he is adamant that he will take one day at a time and not even think about the weekend.

''It's always been catch-up in the past because I've not broken 70 before. Now I'm in the lead the whole psyche of the Championship changes,'' he said.

''There is an awful long way to go,'' added Monty, determined to start out today ''as if nothing had happened.''

He also likes the course.

''It sets up quite well for me because I keep the ball straight off the tee. If I can do that, I will hit the greens then have a chance for birdies.''

The 38-year-old Scot had plenty of those yesterday, the most spectacular coming on the final hole when he rolled in a monster putt.

How the crowd loved it . . . and how Monty loved them.

''The noise when I holed that putt was fantastic. I don't know how many people there were but it was a lot.

''Mostly golfers come to the Open and they are all very knowledgable,'' he observed.

Monty still regards defending champion Tiger Woods as a threat - despite the American handing in 71.

''There's nothing wrong with that. He's only three off second place already,'' he added.

Americans Brad Faxon and Chris Dimarco and Finland's Mikko Ilonen were all three-under-par with Justin Rose and Ireland's Paul McGinley the best placed Brits behind Monty, a shot further back.