Tough year pushed Monty to brink of retirement

RYDER CUP hero Colin Montgomerie almost turned his back on golf as he struggled to rediscover his brilliant best.

The man who sank the putt which handed Bernhard Langer’s European side a crushing victory over the Americans suffered a dreadful run-up to the competition as personal problems compounded his struggles on the course.

However, the help and support of the people around him helped to pull him through and set the stage for his latest moment of glory.