Monty admits slow-play infraction

Colin Montgomerie, one of the biggest critics of slow play in golf, was today trying to avoid being guilty of it for the second successive week.

It has come to light that the eight-time European number one offended during last week’s French Open, the event where his career was re-ignited by a runner-up finish to Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal.

Montgomerie, now defending his European Open title at The London Club in Kent, was happy to speak about the incident.

“I wasn’t aware our group was put on the clock, through no fault of my own, and I had a very difficult shot at the 16th,” he said.

“I took too long to play it, so I had what is known as a bad time and if I’d had one more in that round I’d have had a £2,000 (€2,500) fine and a one-shot penalty - but I didn’t.

“It was one of those things. Unfortunately even a quick player like me can fall foul of certain shots. If we were not on the clock it would have been unnoticed, but because we were it was.

“Is the system right? That’s debatable. We have to have a system, that system is in place and it’s the best we have.

“You can go on and on for ages about that, but I did fall foul. But I’m as quick as most out here.”

Montgomerie’s performance last week lifted him to 14th in the Ryder Cup standings and victory this weekend could take him as high as sixth and in sight of a ninth cap.

As things stand, though, he freely admits he would not pick himself for September’s match.

“I would pick (Luke) Donald and (Padraig) Harrington,” stated the Scot, who revealed yesterday that he has carried self-doubts throughout his career.

However, Montgomerie knows that captain Nick Faldo does not have to make his two wild card choices until the end of next month.

And by then he hopes to have forced his way into an automatic spot or, failing that, provided much more evidence that he is the man for the job.

“I’m not resting on any laurels,” he added. “It’s getting harder, there’s no question about it. I’m 45 now and you have to dig a little deeper every time. But it’s nice to know that it’s there.

“Last week’s last putt (a 40-footer that made him solo second behind young Spaniard Larrazabal) felt like a win, but I’ve got to keep going here.

“I don’t feel I’ve played my last Ryder Cup – it will be a shame if I have. I think I have at least one left to play. It’s been part of my life since 1991 and I don’t feel I’m ready to give that up.”

There is also The Open fast approaching, of course, and when asked if he would take second place at Royal Birkdale with a guaranteed Ryder Cup appearance he replied: “Yeah, of course.

“Definitely yeah. Can I take it now?”

Yet with no Tiger Woods in two weeks’ time Montgomerie knows that first place is a lot more up for grabs than has been the case in recent years.

Runner-up to Woods at St Andrews three years ago he added: “The door is a little wider open and it’s given a lot of players on form the opportunity of winning a major.

“Someone is going to win these next couple of majors and it’s not Tiger Woods.

“This is a big week for me defending here, then I have the Scottish Open, which speaks for itself, and then the British. I’m looking forward to it.”