Rejuvenated Monty ready for the Open

Colin Montgomerie goes into the Open with confidence restored after a closing 67 in the Barclays Scottish Open today.

But the Scot has insisted he is not heading for Troon with a 22-year-old Dane by his side.

“I’m on my own, lads,” Montgomerie told reporters at Loch Lomond after being pictured smiling at Line Cordes during his third-round 76 and “a friend” being quoted in a Sunday newspaper saying that she has made him “happier than he has been in months”.

Although she was watching him again today the 41-year-old, whose marriage broke up in April, added: “I woke up on my own this morning and I will go to bed on my own. I’ll let you know, though!”

There was no denying that a return to something like his form of old had helped put the smile back on Montgomerie face after a miserable time in his private life.

Forgetting that only 24 hours earlier he had dropped out of contention with the highest score of the day, he said: “I’m hitting the ball as well as I can and I can’t help but look forwward to next week.”

Royal Troon is his home course and the club where his father was secretary.