Monty: Ryder Cup squad is 'fantastic'

Colin Montgomerie immediately turned his thoughts to the Ryder Cup after going out of the HSBC World Match Play Championship to team-mate Paul Casey at Wentworth today.

“It proves how good our squad is,” said Montgomerie, who was crushed six and five.

“And we must play around with it so that we don’t play five matches and are fresh for the singles. We have a fantastic squad.”

Two years ago in Detroit, Montgomerie was left out of a session for the first time in six cup matches – and Europe, of course, went on to hammer the Americans by a record nine points.

Casey considered himself the underdog facing the Scot, but commented: “I think I got lucky. I didn’t get the usual Colin Montgomerie for whatever reason.

“When he’s at his best he’s one of the world’s greatest.”

Montgomerie, an approximate three over par when he was beaten, saw no reason to differ.

“I didn’t play particularly well,” he said. “I didn’t get many breaks really, but that’s like a manager complaining about the fourth goal being offside when he’s lost 6-0.”