Monty happy to honour Madrid commitment

Colin Montgomerie, back as Europe’s number one for the first time in six years, knows it might surprise some people that he is at this week’s Madrid Open.

But he has an easy explanation. When he agreed to play in the £688,000 (€1m) event, Montgomerie was not the golfer he is now.

His presence in a tournament where the total purse is less than Tiger Woods earned at the American Express world championship on Sunday is an indication of just how far the 42-year-old Scot has climbed this year.

“I committed to this event six months ago when I wasn’t in last week’s World Championship,” said Montgomerie.

Having begun the season outside the world’s top 80, the Ryder Cup star did not have an exemption into a number of top events – the Players Championship, the Masters and the US Open among them.

But just look at him now. Second in the Open in July, Montgomerie won the Dunhill links championship two weeks ago and his third-place finish at the weekend behind Woods and John Daly has not only lifted him to the top of the money list again, but also to 14th in the world.

“I set top 25 as my target at the start of the year – and that was asking a helluva lot of myself,” he said.

Only Michael Campbell and Retief Goosen can now deny Montgomerie a record eighth Order of Merit crown and neither is playing in the Spanish capital or at next week’s Majorca Classic.

Montgomerie is currently £90,000 (€131,000) ahead of Campbell and nearly £210,000 (€305,000) clear of Goosen. Should he win this week that would become £205,000 (€298,000) and £324,000 (€472,000), but the issue would still not be decided.

First prize at the season-ending Volvo Masters in a fortnight is almost £460,000 (€670,000). But if Montgomerie does lift the Madrid title, Campbell would require a top-two finish at Valderrama just to have a chance of finishing number one and Goosen would have to win.

He and Darren Clarke, who did not travel to California because of his wife Heather’s cancer battle, are the top two players this week.

But centre of attention for today at least was Seve Ballesteros, back on the European tour for the first time since November 2003.

Many thought they might have seen the end of the 48-year-old’s career because of back trouble and a decline that began almost a decade ago, but he never wanted to give up hope.

“We wish him well,” commented Montgomerie. “If he makes the cut (something he did only twice in 2002 and 2003), I think that will be a super effort.

“He is looking for better than that being Seve, but I think after two years out that would give him confidence.

“He’s only six years older than me, but he’s a hero of mine. His talent was just unbelievable.

“And all credit to him for sticking it out and trying to play. I don’t think you would have seen me.

“There must be some trepidation, but let’s hope he can put two decent scores together. No, four decent scores.”

When asked for his own target, Ballesteros replied yesterday: “To play, hit good shots and enjoy.

“Physically I feel very well and I am very tranquillo. I have nothing to lose. I’m not nervous now, but maybe tomorrow.

“Golf has always been my passion and competing has always been great,” he added. “It’s one thing I always like and enjoy – I like to feel the pressure.

“To play is what I love to do most. And to play for as long as I can? Of course.

“The only thing that worries me is that when you don’t play for nearly two years you have lost a little bit of focus and it’s difficult to have the competitive instinct.”

As for the future, he states: “Just to be here is great. Let’s go step-by-step. But whatever happens this week I will play next year on tour.”