Unlucky Monty misses out

Colin Montgomerie feels he is playing better than ever despite missing out on a place in the US Masters.

Montgomerie came agonisingly close to breaking the magical 60 barrier in the final round of the Indonesia Open yesterday.

The Scot missed a 10ft birdie putt on the final hole in Jakarta which would have seen him record the first 59 on the European Tour.

The 41-year-old had to settle for a 60 and 18-under-par total of 262, seven shots behind the winner, Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant.

The former European number one’s superb effort lifted him into a share of fourth place and his nine birdies in a row from the 17th – having started from the 10th – created a new tour record.

That was not enough to secure his place at Augusta next month, however. The Scot needed to win to be certain of moving up into the world’s top 50, but will now have to wait to see if he receives a special invitation.

“I am trying my hardest to get back where I feel I should be. I am trying to get as many world ranking points as possible,” said Montgomerie.

“This is my eighth tournament in a row where I have not finished outside the top 10 (he was actually 11th in the Heineken Classic).

“It’s the best golf I have ever played, even back to the mid 1990s. Unfortunately I might have three weeks off now but if it is not enough (to qualify for the Masters) I just keep going.”

Ironically Montgomerie had earlier eagled the par-five ninth to complete his delayed third round, but at the second time of asking drove into the rough and was unable to reach the green in two.

“I had a golden opportunity,” Montgomerie admitted. “I hit my sand wedge in there to about 10ft but the grain grabbed the ball and did not really roll the way the other putts had.

“It all comes down to the last hole but you forget about what happened midway through the round and I was going nowhere.

“I don’t know what I took on the 15th tee but I want more of it.”

Wiratchant carded a final-round 63 for a 25-under-par total of 255, closing in style with a birdie on the last.

He finished five shots clear of France’s Raphael Jacquelin with Australia’s Adam Fraser a shot further back in third after a hole-in-one on the 17th.

Wiratchant becomes the second Thai player to win on the tour, following in the footsteps of Thongchai Jaidee, who successfully defended his Malaysian Open title last month.