Montgomerie irons out his problems
Montgomerie is making his first appearance of the year in Europe in the Italian Open in Brescia after an unprecedented eight-week spell in the United States.
The Scot was a collective 19 over par in missing the cut in five of his six strokeplay tournaments across the Atlantic, failing to break 70 in 14 rounds, and also lost 4&2 to Alex Cejka in the first round of the World Matchplay in California.
Rounds of 78 and 76 at the Masters added up to his worst halfway total by four shots in 12 appearances at Augusta, and it was also the Scot's second worst display ever in 46 major championships.
However, the new clubs waiting on his return to Britain have worked wonders for the former European number one's game, and a 10 under par 62 in Wednesday's pro-am had the 39-year-old in a buoyant mood.
"Hogan have brought out a new cavity-backed club and it is more like the ones I was using for all those years before and I feel more comfortable," admitted Montgomerie, who struggled to use the bladed clubs he switched to from Callaway after last year's Ryder Cup.
"I feel comfortable with the equipment and comfortable being back in Europe as well.
"As Andy (Prodger, his caddie) said when I told him I was 10 under, 'Yes, you're slightly more relaxed here.'
"It's a big difference for me, if I play relaxed golf I play good golf. I don't feel I have anything to prove here.
"In America I always have the tag that I've never won there and you're always trying to prove something, here you don't have to it is much easier for me here.
"Having reflected on it, I think I stayed in America for a couple of weeks too many.
"I should have come home after the TPC and Doral possibly but I added a couple in thinking I'd find my game over there with competition, but in retrospect it was a mistake.
"I tried, stayed over there and played, but I think I was digging myself a deeper hole each week.
"I've been practising hard down at Wisley with my coach Dennis Pugh and these last couple of days it has just come right, it has been a while."
It will be May 1 before Montgomerie has hit a ball in anger in Europe, a unique situation caused partly by time off over the winter to ease his troublesome back injury and his desire to play in America.
"It is strange, it's the first time I've done this," added Montgomerie. "I wanted to try and play in America and it didn't work out.
"I enjoyed the experience, believe it or not, but at the same time it didn't work out competitively.
"The back is fine, I would have loved to use that as an excuse in America but it's fine.
"Now I'm looking forward to five weeks in Europe before the US Open.
"No-one ever talked about my clubs when I was winning order of merits (seven in a row from 1993), now they do because I'm not.
But I'm so glad that I've got back to something I was using before and I'm very happy with it.
"The ball performs great, the equipment issue is gone and I'm looking forward to scoring, putting a score on the board as opposed to the doubts, 'Is it me, is it the equipment?'
"I feel free almost, something lifted from me which is great."
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
