Montgomerie favourite in a weak field
Colin Montgomerie began the KLM Open today as a hot favourite to take advantage of a weakened field and win his first tournament of the year.
Montgomerie was rated a 9/1 shot by the bookmakers with Ryder Cup team-mate Paul McGinley, one of only three members of the world’s top 50 taking part, next favourite at a distant 20/1.
The 43-year-old Scot has not played since missing the cut in the British Open at Hoylake after rounds of 73 and 75, but did finish fourth at Kennemer when the tournament was last played on the course in 1990.
“I practised on Wednesday morning and the game was quite good so I’m looking forward to playing this course again,” said Montgomerie, one of six players competing in Holland who will contest the final major of the year, the USPGA Championship, next week.
“I like to be competitive before a major. I like to give myself a bit of confidence if I do well. We are playing a links course before a parkland course next week but it is quite soft really. It is not bouncing off and there are not really many links-type shots to be played.”
Just four weeks remain before the European Ryder Cup team is finalised and, although Montgomerie has already qualified, he is well aware of what is at stake for a number of other players.
McGinley and Paul Broadhurst, 10th and 11th in the standings respectively, have the most to gain from this week, and Montgomerie is rooting for Dubliner McGinley to find some form.
“There is always one guy in 10th who is being targeted but it is in his own hands because he is playing the next four weeks,” added the eight-time Order of Merit winner.
“The standard behind him is coming up quick and that 10th place is always a difficult one to be in coming into the last event in Munich, but as a friend of mine I hope he can stay in that position.”
Montgomerie had to rely on a wild card to make the team at Oakland Hills two years ago, but produced a typically towering performance to win three points from a possible four, including teaming up with Padraig Harrington for victory over Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods in the opening match and then holing the winning putt in his singles victory over David Toms.
European skipper Ian Woosnam has already consulted him about possible pairings at The K Club next month, but added: “I feel a certain responsibility on the course but I was talking to (vice-captain) Peter Baker earlier and he said Woosie won four and a half points out of five in 1993, and yet we lost.
“So it takes all 12 to play well and that is why we have done so well in the last few years, because everybody has got at least one point and that is where you win the Ryder Cup. It’s not about one individual’s performance. It’s a team performance.”
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