Experience pays off for McGinley and Monty

The vast experience of Ryder Cup heroes Paul McGinley and Colin Montgomerie brought them both the victories they desired so much at Valderrama today - McGinley the biggest win of his career and Montgomerie an eighth Order of Merit title.

McGinley’s stunning comeback was brilliant, the 38-year-old recovering from nine behind Montgomerie at halfway to win by two from Sergio Garcia.

It was McGinley's fourth European Tour success in 361 tour starts and his first for four years.

McGinley was previously denied by a closing birdie from his close friend Padraig Harrington in the Volvo Masters and this year he just lost out at the BMW Championship, NEC world championship and the World Match Play at Wentworth.

Those near-misses were forgotten, though, as he produced a superb closing 67 for a 10-under-par total of 274.

After a double bogey and triple bogey in his first seven holes on Thursday he did not drop a shot after the opening hole of the second round.

Montgomerie might not have been happy with his day’s work, a three-over-par 74 that saw him finish joint third in the Volvo Masters 24 hours after he led the event by six strokes.

But that was easily enough to see him to another money list crown six years after the last of his seven in a row. New Zealander Michael Campbell would have needed to finish second as it turned out, but was down in 14th spot.

“I didn’t need this, I just wanted it,” said Montgomerie on being presented with a trophy he knows so well.