Abu Dhabi boost for Monty

EUROPE’S Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie must have been delighted as he watched the drama unfold in the final round of the Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday.

Three of his ‘bankers’ for Celtic Manor in October, Martin Kaymer, Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy, shot the lights out down the stretch on a golf course the pundits predicted the winning score, at best, would be around 15 to 18 under par. However, it doesn’t pay to underestimate these players and Kaymer duly reached 21 under, followed by Poulter on 20 and McIlroy on 19. Many others also shot well into double figures under par.

On that basis, European golf is distinctly healthy. Monty knows he will have a number of ‘rookies’ in his team, but with Kaymer and McIlroy in this category and others like the long-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros and the Molinari brothers from Italy also contending strongly, it’s not something that will give the Scot sleepless nights.