Don’t pick me yet, Monty tells Faldo

COLIN MONTGOMERIE would leave himself out of the Ryder Cup team, if it was being picked now, the eight-times European number one said last night as he backed the talents of Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald.

“I would pick Donald and Harrington (as two wildcards),” the 45-year-old Scot said on the eve of the European Open at the London Golf Club. “Right now you would have to pick Harrington and Donald ahead of me. If you look at the top 10 or 12 in the points list, (captain) Nick Faldo would have a real tough job. Harrington and Donald and (Paul) Casey and (Sergio) Garcia are all on the fringe. If they go on to make the team then, yes, I have more of an opportunity.”

Montgomerie boosted his flagging fortunes by finishing second at the French Open on Sunday, a performance that lifted him to 32nd in the Ryder Cup world points list and 13th in the European points list. But he knows he faces a tough task to earn one of the automatic 10 spots for the biennial team event against the US at Valhalla, Kentucky, in September.

“My play has been very poor,” said Montgomerie, who last entered the winners’ enclosure in last year’s European Open at the K Club. “As someone who is a very proud player, the scores I was putting together were dismal to say the least.

“At least now I am putting scores together. That’s eight rounds in a row now I have been under par, the best run I’ve had for a few years.”