Montgomerie bids to get back on track

COLIN MONTGOMERIE is desperate to defend his Volvo Scandinavian Masters title after going back on his decision to miss the £1.3 million event in Stockholm.

Montgomerie shot a course-record 64 in the second round of the Open at Muirfield, but then crashed to an horrendous 84 on Saturday, and after closed with a 75.

Upon finishing he said: "I've pulled out of tournaments for the next two weeks. I can't handle it any more."

The Scot was never scheduled to play in last week's TNT Open in Holland and would have missed the trip to Sweden before changing his mind last week.

Now the 39-year-old is keen to win a fourth Scandinavian Masters title, the only one he currently holds, and continue a proud record of playing all four rounds in all 11 editions of the event.

Montgomerie took a week's holiday on a boat off the coast of Naples with his family last week.

"I needed the holiday to recharge the batteries, they were pretty low. I thought about taking three weeks off but I felt if I was going to do well in the USPGA I have to play golf."

However a week of relaxation and indulgence will not have done his attempts to lose weight to aid his ailing back any good with a few of the 35lbs he has been told to lose creeping back on.

But Montgomerie knows he will have to follow doctors orders if he wants to keep playing at the top level and possibly avoid an operation.

Montgomerie has won at least two tournaments every year since 1993, but is well aware it is twelve months since he scraped to a one-shot victory over Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter in Malmo despite dropping shots at the last two holes.