LAID-BACK Colin Montgomerie reckons life among the golden oldies has been the most relaxing period of his long golfing career.

The decorated Scot tees up in the European Senior Tour's MCB Tour Championship on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius today aiming to end his rookie year on the over-50s circuit in style.

Monty claimed his maiden win on the Senior Tour at Woburn earlier this season while notching a trio of top-10s on the ultra-competitive Champions Tour in the US.

The former Ryder Cup talisman relishes his new lease of sporting life: "I've enjoyed this season a lot more than I thought I would," he said. "I thought I'd be walking the dogs by now, but I've found that at 50 I might as well do something, and all I can do is play golf.

"The one thing I have underestimated since turning 50 is the standard of competition. It's extremely high. It's more relaxed away from the course, but once the gun goes it's exactly the same on it. I'm definitely more relaxed now than I've ever been. We've all been successful and have nothing to prove, so we relax … And you know what? You tend to do something better if you enjoy it."

Meanwhile, European Tour chiefs are facing more weather woe after the Nelson Mandela Championship was suspended for a second time.

After Wednesday's seven-hour delay, further downpours in Durban meant only four-and-a-half hours of play were possible on a saturated Mount Edgecombe course yesterday.

Glasgow's defending champ Scott Jamieson was two-over through 13 holes of his first round when play was halted.

Oliver Bekker made the biggest move, the South African advancing to six-under through 14 holes to join Frenchmen Edouard Dubois and Romain Wattel in third place after their 64s on day one.

European Tour winner Branden Grace and Darren Fichardt were also going well at four under. They remained adrift of leader Daniel Brooks. The Englishman's flawless eight-under 62 put him a shot clear of France's Francois Calmels.