Monty misses Masters because of Japanese TV

Masters officials have admitted that Shingo Katayama was preferred to Colin Montgomerie for Augusta’s only wild-card in order to satisfy the Japanese television market.

The first Major of the season starts today in Georgia with the Scot absent for the first time since 1991.

Montgomerie’s failure to break into the world’s top 50 prevented him from winning an automatic place but Katayama is ranked at a lowly 71st – 18 places below the Briton.

Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson said: “Colin will be back to the Masters tournament one way or another surely.

“But we have a long relationship with Japan which has been the most populous golfing nation for many years.

“We do have a big broadcast over there and that does influence us.”