Monty hopes to beat 'bottle' battle

Colin Montgomerie hopes to prove he has the ‘‘bottle’’ to recapture the French Open title and spark a successful build up to his latest quest to end his major jinx.

Montgomerie won the title the last time the event was staged at Le Golf National in Paris two years ago by finishing with two eagles in the last five holes.

A repeat victory on Sunday would be the perfect start to a five-week run the Scot is using as his warm up for the second major of the year, next month’s US Open in New York.

And the 38-year-old is buoyed by memories of his past success in the forthcoming events as he looks to capture his first tournament of the season.

‘‘It’s nice to have a feeling of ‘I’ve done it before, why not do it again?’’’ said Montgomerie, who left his son Cameron a set of cut-down clubs and a golf bag with his name on it for his fourth birthday today.

‘‘It’s a good course here and takes a bit of bottle coming in the last few holes.

‘‘There are a lot of decisions to be made, especially if it is going to be breezy. Do we go for these greens and bring a six into the equation or do we lay-up?’’

Montgomerie’s bottle was certainly not lacking in 2000 when he eagled the par five 14th and repeated the trick with a six-iron to within a foot of the flag on the 18th to hold off Jonathan Lomas.

‘‘I’m playing the next five events - French Open, Benson & Hedges International, Deutsche Bank Open, PGA Championship and British Masters - and I’ve won four of them and finished second in the Deutsche Bank,’’ Montgomerie added.

‘‘I’m really looking forward to the next five weeks and I feel as if my putting is coming around.

‘‘Finishing seventh in the putting stats at the Masters, for me that is dramatic. I’ve never been in the top 57, let alone seventh.

‘‘That was dramatic for me to get my putting sorted out. If it is to be found out it will be found out there.

‘‘Although the Sunday of the Seve Trophy was disappointing (when he lost in the singles to Seve Ballesteros - again) the whole week was a great success for me and the team.

‘‘I’ve had a good week off, practised hard and come here. I’m really looking forward to this run of five tournaments.

‘‘I’m not playing the English Open because that would be seven in a row including the US Open, I have to take one off and that is it.

‘‘I am going over to New York early, possibly at the end of the previous week, to acclimatise and give myself every opportunity.

‘‘I’ll go over early and do what I have to do to acclimatise to the whole place so I am comfortable on Thursday.

‘‘I’ve tried it all ways; going over late after winning at Slaley Hall; I haven’t played and sat at home before going out on Tuesday which is too late, so this is my ‘N’th option and we’ll see how it goes.’’

Montgomerie is encouraged by initial reports on the US Open venue at Bethpage State Park, adding: ‘‘I’ve heard it is not the longest course but if it isn’t then they will have it set up for me more than some.

‘‘I’ve really enjoyed the US Open over the years, I’ve had a good record over there. I’m looking forward to that one and want to give myself 100% or I will regret it if I don’t.

‘‘I feel if I can putt as well as I did at Augusta and hit the ball off the tee as well as I did I have a chance. My irons weren’t so good so I have been working on them and getting them right.’’

Meanwhile, Spain’s Jose Maria Olazabal defends his title this week with one eye warily on the future despite playing some of the best golf of his career.

The double Masters champion has already won on both sides of the Atlantic this season and was fourth in the Masters last month behind Tiger Woods.

But at 36-years-old, he knows his years at the very top of the game may be limited.

‘‘I don’t know where the finishing line is, but I know it’s getting closer and I’m trying to get the best out of those years that I can,’’ said Olazabal.

‘‘When I made the decision to play more in the States I said I did not know how many years I had left but I know there are less than more. I know the years are going by.

‘‘I am 36, there are no miracles, at least I don’t believe a miracle can happen to me, that I can be 55 and still feel I am 25.’’

Montgomerie and Olazabal will start favourites to lift the title and £205,000 (€330,000) first prize on Sunday, but they will have an unusual obstacle to overcome.

The 15th green was relaid just two weeks ago after it became the roosting and feeding ground for hundreds of wild geese and seagulls which destroyed the surface of the green by eating the grass and covering it in their droppings.

The new surface is not up to the standard of the rest of the course but tournament officials are hopeful it will provide a reasonable temporary measure for the event.