Monty gamble pays off for punters

A rejuvenated, if currently “knackered”, Colin Montgomerie has revealed how his record eighth Order of Merit success had some unusual financial spin-offs.

Montgomerie was a major outsider to finish the year as European number one until he won the Dunhill Links at St Andrews in October.

The following week he overtook US Open champion Michael Campbell by finishing third in the American Express championship in San Francisco, and eighth at the Madrid Open and third in the Volvo Masters secured his first money list title since the last of his seven in succession in 1999.

Such form came as something of a surprise from a player who started the year ranked 81st in the world, but obviously not to a few shrewd punters.

Asked about what odds he would be to win a ninth Order of Merit in 2006, Montgomerie told PA Sport: “Well you certainly wouldn’t put me at 100/1 as they did in September this year.

“One guy won £50,000 (€73,349) because he put £500 (€733) on it, he e-mailed me and told me so. I didn’t ask for a percentage and it wasn’t offered!

“He thought Valderrama was a good tournament for me and he knew I had done well at the Open and the Dunhill Links was coming up. He had obviously given it some thought and there you go, £50,000 (€73,349) thank you very much.

“I think that’s the biggest win I’ve ever had on me because I don’t think I have ever been 100/1 to win any golf tournament. There was also one guy in Madrid who came up to me after the third round and said ‘Keep it going Monty because you’re going to pay for my mum’s eye operation’.

“He’d had £30 (€44) on at 100/1 as well and said his mum’s operation cost £3,000 (€4,400). Hopefully his mother has had the operation and is fine.”

Montgomerie admits he almost followed Padraig Harrington in making a late withdrawal from this week’s UBS Hong Kong Open at the end of an exhausting season.

The 42-year-old Scot has played 27 events around the world before this week, and flies from the Far East to California next week to play in Tiger Woods’ invitational event. During his seven years as European number one from 1993-99, he averaged 19 events a season.

This is already the third event of the 2006 European Tour schedule, but Montgomerie added: “It doesn’t feel like that. Abu Dhabi in January will feel like the start of 2006 for me.

“This is just the final event of 2005 and it has been a long road. I didn’t want to spend time alone in my apartment but I think I’ve overdone things a little.

“But the good thing is I’ve had success so that has been bearable. It is not easy being away from your children and everything that goes along with that.”

Montgomerie’s late-season form means he is already almost assured of a place on next year’s Ryder Cup team, something he is delighted to have achieved after being forced to rely upon a wild card from captain Bernhard Langer for last year’s record-breaking win at Oakland Hills.

He more than justified his selection with three points out of five, and also maintained his unbeaten singles record when holing the winning putt in his victory over David Toms.

“I don’t think the team will be very different from what it was last time,” added Montgomerie, who first played in Hong Kong as an amateur in the Eisenhower Trophy 21 years ago.

“It is shaping up that way already although I think we will have to include Jose Maria Olazabal so that means someone will have to miss out. But I think any Ryder Cup team without Olazabal is a weaker one.”

One concern for Montgomerie is the lack of any fellow Scots in the team recently; Andrew Coltart and Paul Lawrie the last apart from Montgomerie to feature, at Brookline in 1999.

“We need more Scots coming through, and not just Ryder Cup players,” added Montgomerie, who has at least been encouraged by seeing Marc Warren top the Challenge Tour rankings in 2005.

“It looks like I’ll be the only Scot in the team again at The K Club.

“In the days of Torrance, Brand Jnr, Lyle and myself there were always three or four, a third of the team was Scottish. I suppose it just goes through phases.

“England had a bad run a few years ago and now it is full of English players. A few years ago Lee Westwood was the only English player in the top 100 in the world, now there are 10.”