Monty must have Masters in mind

Colin Montgomerie may have been the match-winning hero of Europe’s Ryder Cup team last month but he was unable to qualify for the two big events which followed.

The 41-year-old Scot was not part of the American Express World Championship at Mount Juliet or last week’s HSBC World Match Play at Wentworth.

Starting with the Madrid Open tomorrow, however, Montgomerie has the task of making sure he does not miss out as well on some even bigger tournaments – the Masters at Augusta next April, for example.

The seven-time European number one has fallen from 41st to 66th in the world this season, and if he slips from his current 28th position on the order of merit in the two weeks that remain, it will represent his worst finish since his rookie year of 1988.

Club de Campo is where Montgomerie won the 1994 Spanish Open and he is one of three members of the Ryder Cup team on parade there.

Miguel Angel Jimenez and David Howell are looking to apply the finishing touches to what could be the best seasons of their careers, however.