Montgomerie, who was a runner-up in the 1995 US PGA having lost a play-off with Steve Elkington at Riviera CC, said the depth of talent at Europe’s disposal was greater than at any time during his professional career and his probable team for Celtic Manor would come from among the other 31 Europeans at Hazeltine this week.

“Let’s hope that (world number three) Paul Casey can get over his injury and play and then you’ll probably find that the full Ryder Cup team in 2010 will be on show here this week,” Montgomerie said.

“It will be interesting to see how they go. I’ll be watching the scores intensely over the next four days, and over the next four majors after this one, to see what’s happening and to see the form on these fantastic set-up of courses.

“We have 31 players. I expect out of that 31 to have four or five in the top 10 this week.

“We have a fantastic wealth of talent in Europe now, more than I’ve ever witnessed in my 22 years and I’m looking to have four or five of that 31 in the top 10 this week, which will be a super effort.”

Asked for candidates for those top-10 finishes, Montgomerie mentioned Europe’s most in-form golfer Lee Westwood, US PGA defending champion Padraig Harrington and the continent’s highest-ranked player Paul Casey, who was on Wednesday playing a practice round to determine his fitness to tee off in the first round tomorrow having suffered a rib muscle injury.

“It’s difficult at this stage but obviously the one name that springs to mind who is playing as well as anyone and should probably have been in that play-off (at) the Open is Lee Westwood,” he said.

“He’s striking the ball as well as anyone.

“Padraig Harrington, I’m glad that he’s showing signs of his great form at the end of last year as well.

“So there’s two names and we just hope that Paul Casey is fit enough to compete because he’s obviously a real contender here.”

Montgomerie was also asked about his dispute with former Open and Masters champion Lyle, which broke at Turnberry when Lyle was asked about his decision to quit the 2008 Open after 10 holes and whether it had endangered his chances of becoming Ryder Cup captain.

Lyle countered that Montgomerie had been selected as captain despite “a form of cheating”, referring to an incident at the Indonesian Open in Jakarta in 2005 when he incorrectly replaced his ball following a weather delay.

Lyle later described Montgomerie as a “drama queen” following his reaction to the initial comments but the two met at Hazeltine National on Wednesday and a truce appears to have been called.

“I didn’t realise that Sandy was coming over here to commentate for our British Sky Television here for the tournament,” Montgomerie said. “And I had just managed to speak to Sandy just before we came in here, which was good.

“I can’t, unfortunately, say what was said. But that matter is now closed and I personally thought it was closed four and a half years ago.

“It is now, believe me,” he added with a smile.