Goosen can't cut it at Celtic Manor

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Two weeks before he tries for a third US Open victory in seven years Goosen, the only member of the world's top 25 taking part in the event, slumped to a second-round 73 on the par-69 lay-out.

It completes a miserable two weeks for the South African star before he heads across the Atlantic for the second major of the year. He also made an early exit from the BMW PGA Championship last Friday.

"It's disappointing, that's for sure," said Goosen.

"I'm working on a few things, but they're not coming together yet. I'll hang around for a couple of days and do some practice, then I'm playing in Memphis next week, so I hope I can find something there. I struggled on the greens here - they were extremely slow."

Playing partner Karlsson, another who is Oakmont-bound, had a 69, but a two-over total, three better than Goosen, was still not good enough on the same course where he set European Tour records for 36 and 54 holes last June by opening 61-63-65.

Their departures left Colin Montgomerie as the highest-ranked player still standing in the tournament - but if you think he should have been happy after a 64 that was his lowest round for exactly a year, then think again.

The eight-time European number one moved up into the top 25 from 81st at the start of the day, yet he was positively disgusted not to be closer to the surprise leader, Dane Mads Vibe-Hastrup.

"I got my game back together and got half of it right, but the other half is terrible," said Montgomerie, who will be making his 64th attempt to win a major on the course where he lost a play-off to Ernie Els in 1994."My putting is the weakest part of anyone's game out here. That could have been anything."

Montgomerie's round leaves him four strokes to make up on 28-year-old Vibe-Hastrup, who is trying to emulate compatriot Anders Hansen's success at Wentworth last weekend.