Stars target Munich success to ease US Open let-down

Colin Montgomerie is not the only star hoping to use this week’s BMW International in Munich as a means of forgetting last week’s US Open.

Defending champion Niclas Fasth’s second-round 86 at Torrey Pines was comfortably the worst score of his European Tour career, while 2006 winner Henrik Stenson missed the cut as well and so did 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell.

Montgomerie’s profile is such, however, that his truncated trip to California captured most attention and so will his next attempt to get his career back on track.

On returning to action after his wedding in April, the eight-time European number one, 45 next Monday, set himself the target of winning at least twice before the Ryder Cup qualifying campaign ends in August.

So far, though, he has not even managed a top-40 finish and has seen his world ranking drop all the way to 108th – his lowest position since 1990. He is not even Scotland’s top player any more.

At least he is back on a happy hunting ground now. The Nord-Eichenried course is where he won in 1999 and also where Bernhard Langer told him in 2004 that he wanted him as one of his wildcards.

That is the only one of his eight Ryder Cup caps that has come courtesy of a captain’s pick, but with him not in the top 40 on the current cup standings, it is looking increasingly likely he will require another.

And with Open champion Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald, Paul Casey, Darren Clarke and Ian Poulter in similar need, as things are the odds on a ninth appearance against the Americans – and the chance to beat captain Nick Faldo’s points record – are growing longer by the week.

At least his rounds of 79 and 77 last week do not appear so grim when put against Fasth, who a year after finishing top European in fourth place at Oakmont was close to last this time.

The Swede was actually one under for the day after three holes, but then came a quadruple-bogey seven, triple-bogey seven, two doubles and six bogeys.

Fasth has had nothing better than an eighth-place finish all season and it is a good time to remind him that in Germany last year he played his openings two rounds in 12 under and then held off a charging Langer.

Stenson’s victory two years ago – after a play-off with Harrington and Retief Goosen – clinched top spot on the Ryder Cup table.

His missed cut last week, though, dropped him to seventh in this year’s list and the world number 16 will be keen to show why he is the top-ranked player in the field in Germany.

At least he has shown form this year. New Zealander Campbell is down to 351st in the world and has not made the cut in seven of his last eight events.

Beating Tiger Woods at Pinehurst – yes, he occasionally does lose – seems a long time ago.