Monty missing from heroes’ homecoming

“THE HEROES’ Homecoming” is how the advertisers are proclaiming this week’s American Express World Golf Championship at Mount Juliet.

They're referring to the Irish trio of Pádraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley and the European Ryder Cup team. They will all receive an ecstatic welcome no matter how much they themselves wish to put the heroics of Detroit behind them and concentrate on the latest challenge.

However, isn't there something sadly missing when arguably the greatest European hero of the lot, Colin Montgomerie, won't be there at all? Monty has fallen outside the top 50 in the world rankings and the leading 20 in the European order of merit so he and Ian Poulter, who is in the same category, are the two Ryder Cup "heroes" missing from the star-studded Mount Juliet field.