Monty comes up short in driving test
A philosophical Colin Montgomerie was left to salute the new breed of golfer upon seeing his course record at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship shattered after just 63 minutes by the big-hitting Henrik Stenson.
The Scot had to wonder if his guile was still a match for the power of the likes of the Swede, who produced an awesome round of 64, which featured two eagles.
Montgomerie believed he needed to score a six-under par 66 on Saturday to haul himself back into contention at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
He went one better with a 65, and his eight birdies were among the most recorded by any other player in the third round.
His round contained just one dropped shot, messing up his approach to the green at the fifth, but it was the sort of day when the 42-year-old was put in the shade by the next generation.
The world number 10 did not throw in the towel, his new positive mindset would not allow it, but he did suggest that he is not able to compete when the younger players are at the top of their game.
“They are stronger, they are younger, they are fitter, they are better,” he revealed.
“It’s much more difficult now than it was, I sort of half-expect it. I can’t compete with the shots they are doing but I’m doing OK the way I’m doing it.
“I have great control with my irons and that’s how I scored. That’s my score against the length of them.”
Stenson, who leads by a shot from American Chris DiMarco and two from Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain, demonstrated the benefits of driving long all day.
His eagle at the par-five 18th was a microcosm of his game, as he was able to clear bunkers that Montgomerie admits he would find with costly regularity if he tried to match the Ryder Cup hopeful and his ilk.
“People like Stenson, they hit the ball a long, long way. I don’t compete playing their game,” he said.
“I pitch the ball about 265 on a good day. It’s a fantastic asset to have the bunkers to go left or right off, 290 yards carries. I can’t do that.
“It’s an interesting challenge. All I can do is play my game and that’s 11 under in two days, that’s okay.
“I just have to go out and shoot 65 on Sunday and that would get me to 18 under and then I will have a chance.”
