The Golf Watch

"There, making a beeline for the gym with his personal trainer, was the most miserable- looking specimen you have seen in your life"

Derek Lawrenson of The Daily Mail writes an interesting column about Monty's bid to get in shape and his "never give up" attitude (it's downright funny at times).

In a sport where players half his age are knackered if they play more than three tournaments in a row, how on earth does he keep going, week after week? More pertinently, how does he manage to keep proving people wrong?

For a firm pointer, journey back with me a few weeks into the bowels of the Celtic Manor Hotel. There, making a beeline for the gym with his personal trainer, was the most miserable- looking specimen you have seen in your life. Forget how Monty looks when he is missed a 5ft putt. Nothing compares to the expression on his face at the thought of the treadmill. 'Not me this, is it?' he said. No, it isn't. 

Isn't walking a golf course enough?

Doubts still remain, of course. Monty has hardly hit a decent shot in a major since he threw away the U.S. Open in 2006. Can he still play the big shots and hole the crucial putts when a title is on the line?

But, two months after he married a woman with more money than he has, you cannot help but admire the manner in which he continues to rage against these doubts, and tackle the corrosive effects of age and wealth.

Monty a long shot to make Ryder Cup team

Colin Montgomerie has played so poorly of late that he is outside of the top-100 in the world and nowhere close to the top-10 in the European Ryder Cup standings.  I follow the European Tour on a semi-regular basis, and there are a few guys in front of Monty in the standings I don't even recognize (i.e. Damien Mcgrane and Robert-Jan Derksen).

Monty needs something to happen, and fast.  He has never been on the best of terms with team captain, Nick Faldo, and will need some sort of miracle to automatically qualify.   

One of the good things Monty has going for him is his dedication.  Lewine Mair of The Telegraph points out:

...he is never going to get golf out of his system. He cannot leave it alone and he wants to prove to himself, as much as to anyone else, that he still belongs.

After seeing his temper flair last year at Oakmont when he blamed his poor play on a local caddie, the first step for Monty is to loosen up.

Monty's career good, not great?

Lawrence Donegan of The Guardian wrote an interesting piece earlier today about Colin Montgomerie's "good, but not great career."  Donegan suggests that Monty's mediocre play of late tells us that the "sun is setting," and until he wins a major, he deserves to be remembered as good, not great.

I understand Donegan's argument, but we also have to remember that Monty was Europe's top player for more than a decade, winning the European Tour's Order of Merit every year from 1993-1999.  Monty peaked as high as number two in the world golf ranking, and has been a critical part of the European Ryder Cup team for nearly two decades.  I'm not trying to undermine Donegan's argument, but we shouldn't forget how dominant of a player Monty has been.

Monty expresses concern about the future of Scottish golf

John Huggan of The Golf Observer writes that Scottish golf is in trouble.  Besides Colin Montgomerie, who is ranked 59th in the world, there are no other Scottish players in the top-100 in the world, a depressing reality for the place where many believe golf was founded.  Monty said:

I think we’re going through a transition.  We’ve been going through a transition for 30 years, like our (presently hopeless) rugby team. We never come out of it really.

At least in golf I’ve managed to play on the Ryder Cup team for the last few times, so at least I have some representation. But if I don’t play this year (a strong possibility), we might not have a representative for the first time in modern history. So we’ve got to get going.

Alistair Tait of Golfweek magazine writes that Monty's assessment is "spot on"...

Sometimes Colin Montgomerie talks a lot of sense. Love him or loathe him, there are times when he speaks some hard truths.

His recent thoughts on the state of Scottish golf were, as we say over here, spot on.

Those responsible for the interests of Scottish golf should take his words to heart and act on them. And quickly, because when Monty goes there might not be much for Scottish golf journalists to write about.

U.S. can't pull off upset at World Cup, Scots win

Although Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum were underdogs when the week began, the U.S. duo led by one stroke after each of the first three rounds at the World Cup of Golf in China.  But Colin Montgomerie and Charles Warren of Scotland fired a 6-under 66 on Sunday and defeated Weekley and Slocum on the third playoff hole.  The Scots lost last year in a playoff, but redeemed themselves this year.  "It's been a long time for Scotland to win the World Cup, since 1953," said Montgomerie.  "There was pressure to come back after a playoff loss like we did last year..."  The Americans had their opportunities all day, including the first playoff hole where Slocum missed a 7-foot birdie putt that would have won the cup.  Nevertheless, Slocum said, " It was a wonderful experience.  This would have been icing on the cake to top it off with a victory."

Monty speaks out about Els' absence from Volvo Masters

"The Order of Merit meant a lot to me and it obviously does not to others," said Colin Montgomerie earlier today at the Volvo Masters.  The comments were directed to those European Tour players, specifically Ernie Els, who are playing in the Barclays Singapore Open this week, rather than the final event on the European tour, the Volvo Masters.  "This is our flagship tournament - our Tour Championship if you like - and it's a shame that all the players who qualified aren't here," said Monty, an eight-time winner of the European Tour's Order of Merit.  "This should have been their priority. I would never, ever miss this."  Els, who is currently atop the standings of this year's Order of Merit, defended his position today, saying that he made a three-year committment to the Singapore Open last year.  He showed frustration with the European Tour for scheduling the tournament the same week.  Other players missing the Volvo Masters to play in the Singapore Open include Angel Cabrera, Lee Westwood, Michael Campbell, and Nick O'Hern.

Montgomerie wants to lead 2010 Ryder Cup team

According to the national website of Wales, icwales.co.uk, "Colin Montgomerie has admitted publicly for the first time he wants to captain the European Ryder Cup team when the event is held in Wales in 2010 – aiming for a historic fifth win in a row."  Monty has been a part of five victorious European teams, along with being undefeated in eight singles matches.  Next year's Ryder Cup will be played at Valhalla in Kentucky. 

Montgomerie expects to continue to play competitively past 50

In an interview on The Golf Channel, Colin Montgomerie said prior to his play at the Scottish Open: "I plan on playing out here well beyond seniors golf.  I’m 44, I’ve got five years before I become a senior.  Seniors golf doesn’t interest me at this stage.  I plan on playing out here in my 50s on a full schedule, never mind seniors golf.  I don’t think seniors golf will fill me with any enthusiasm.  I think this is where I play and belong and if it’s not here, well then I don’t think I’ll be playing."  Montgomerie won his 31st European Tour event last week at the European Open.

Montgomerie's former caddie joins Martin at Scottish Open

Mike Aitken of The Scotsman reports that Colin Montgomerie's longtime caddie, Alastair McLean, will caddy this week for Pablo Martin, a rising, young Spaniard at the Barclays Scottish Open.  Aitken writes, "Since contracts are not a part of the bond which links caddies and players, the young Spaniard and the seasoned Scot will need to discover how they prosper in one another's company before deciding whether or not to form a long-lasting partnership."  Monty fired McLean prior to the US Open at Oakmont.

Montgomerie wins 31st European Tour event

Colin Montgomerie ended a 19-month absence from the winner's circle yesterday with a win in the Smurfit Kappa European Open at the K Club yesterday.  Monty ousted Niclas Fasth, who won the BMW International two weeks ago.  "Now I can look forward to Loch Lomond and also to Carnoustie. I feel there is a new career in me," said Montgomerie after his win.