Montgomerie thrilled as dry spell ends in K Club

Colin Montgomerie is celebrating the end of the second-longest barren spell of his career after he won the European Open at the K Club.

The 44-year-old Scot's last success, the Ryder Cup apart, was the Hong Kong Open in December 2005. He ended his dry spell yesterday with a one-stroke victory over Swede Niclas Fasth at the K Club - and relief was written all over his face afterwards.

“It’s fantastic – and it’s been a long time coming,” said the eight-time European number one.

“Of course you have some self-doubt about whether you’re going to win again. I hope this is not the last one, but if it is I will savour it for the rest of my life.

“It means an awful lot to - less than a month after the US Open (he crashed out with a second-round 82 there) - prove some critics wrong and show that I am still capable of winning.

“I have proved it again – I have proved it to myself and hopefully I can do it again. I am back in contention and I look forward to doing that again this week and the week after – whatever that tournament is!”

It is the British Open at Carnoustie and, whatever happens in the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond starting on Thursday, Montgomerie is bound to be in the spotlight once more as he makes yet another attempt to break his major duck.

“This is a new era for me. I have moved up from 33rd to sixth on the Order of Merit in two weeks and my world ranking has gone up from 48th into the 30s.

“This saves me going through that horrible 50 barrier and that means getting into majors and world events, so it is huge for me.

“I am a competitor and the one thing I have missed is the competition. When I am in contention I don't tend to fear it. Some players do but that is why I was fearing Niclas Fasth because he doesn’t fear it either.”

Montgomerie, having switched back to a belly putter, shot a closing 65 from four strokes behind but because of a second thunderstorm suspension he had to wait over two hours to see if he had done enough.

“It’s almost two years for a win and it felt like two years waiting for the finish,” he added.

“The last time I did that was in 1992 at the US Open (at Pebble Beach). On that occasion it didn’t happen (he ended up third), but this time it did.”

Fasth felt the hold-up with one hole to play had done him no favours at all and after he had failed with his 14-foot birdie attempt on the last, Montgomerie did not try to hide the fact he had been fortunate.

That was not simply with the interruption to Fasth’s bid, but also his own playing of the last two holes. Each time he was perilously close to going in the water with six-irons, but each time he got up and down for par.

“I have never made a winner’s speech and said I was unlucky and I didn’t tonight. The one at the last I don’t know how it stayed dry.

“And it is nice to know that a five-foot putt to win can still go in. Unbelievable.”

It was Montgomerie’s 31st Order of Merit victory and that takes him one in front of Nick Faldo, with only Seve Ballesteros (50) and Bernhard Langer (42) in front of him.

“It is nice to go ahead of Nick and means a lot to me. He’s someone I respect greatly and it gives me added confidence going to Loch Lomond and then Carnoustie. Third last week and now a win here. Fantastic.”