Exhausted Montgomerie pulls out of French Open

LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) Britain's Colin Montgomerie has withdrawn from this week's French Open citing ''exhaustion'', the organisers said.

The eight times European number one had planned an 11-tournament run to end at the Deutsche Bank Open, the week after the British Open, but decided to call a halt after playing in seven successive events.

He was joint runner-up in the US Open nine days ago, double-bogeying the last at Winged Foot to finish a stroke adrift of winner Geoff Ogilvy of Australia.

Last Sunday, two days after celebrating his 43rd birthday, Montgomerie finished tied fourth in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, two strokes behind winner Paul Casey, having led the tournament for much of the week.

Montgomerie is third on Europe's money-list and 13th on the world rankings before this week's tournament at The National, Versailles.

REUTERS DH RAI2035