Montgomerie ponders putter change

Colin Montgomerie is thinking of sending for a belly putter in his countdown to the British Open championship at St Andrews.

Montgomerie, who will be playing his 16th British Open and 55th major and has still to win one, dropped to 18th place with a closing 71 at Loch Lomond yesterday.

He switched back to a standard putter in May, but is now pondering what move to take for the huge double greens of the Old Course.

“I never holed a putt,” said the 42-year-old. “I didn’t travel with a belly putter – but I might send for one.”

Montgomerie does know what it is like to taste victory at the home of golf, but not on his own. He was part of the Scottish team that lifted the Dunhill Cup in 1995.

He is also remembered on the course, though, for having said if the Scots could not beat Paraguay they might as well go home. They did lose and they did go home.