WGC-American Express Championship was an awesome event for golf! The last man standing was the best golfer in the world, Tiger Woods. Tiger defeated John Daly in a playoff after Daly three-putted from 15 feet. It was great to see two fan favorites battle it out until the very end, and it was great to see John Daly play so well alongside the big guns in the sport. Unfortunately for Big John, he three-putted twice in his last four holes to give the event to Mr. Woods. The victory was Tiger’s tenth in his World Golf Championship career.
The top of the leaderboard was stacked with names like Woods, Daly, Garcia, Singh, etc. But another name caught my attention at the top of the leaderboard. That name was Colin Montgomerie. I mentioned in my preview that Monty was a player to watch this past weekend because of his win the previous week in Europe. Also, Montgomerie has resurrected his career in 2005, even finishing second at the British Open a few months back.
Colin Montgomerie now leads the European Tour Order of Merit after his strong finish at the American Express Championship (T3). His comeback to the top is one of the great golf stories this year. That being said, I have to shake my head in disgust after watching his play this past weekend. It might not be the late-90s, but the end result sure was the same as in past years. Monty can’t win in the United States!
I’m one of the minority that still likes Colin Montgomerie. All my friends that watch golf can’t stand Monty. They have all been sick of him for years. I started watching golf in 1996, and I have seen the numerous heartbreaks Montgomerie has had in major championships. He has lost in a playoff in both the U.S. Open and PGA Championship in past years. I still find myself cheering for Monty in big tournaments. I really wanted him to win his first major championship at St. Andrews in July, but that obviously didn’t happen.
How can a golfer as good as Colin Montgomerie not win a major championship? Also, how can he not win any tournament in the United States, let alone the majors? Finally, will Monty ever win a major championship or an event in the United States? The answer to the last question is yes and yes. I’m going to give some reasons why Monty hasn’t won in the United States so far, and I’m going to give some predictions on when and where he might break the curse of the United States.
Monty’s Problems in the United States
It’s no secret that Monty has had his fair share of problems with the American crowd in past years. The Scot didn’t help matters much by keeping the patrons fired up throughout events. In the mid-to-late 90s, it seemed like the smallest things would tick Monty off. It was like clockwork after that and went downhill fast.
The worse Monty played down the stretch, the more problems he faced from the crowds. I don’t think a crowd can directly cause a golfer to lose a tournament, but there were times where the crowds sure seemed to finish off Monty’s chances of winning big tournaments. Montgomerie’s focus definitely wasn’t top-notch when it needed to be in the big events.
Colin Montgomerie may very well be the best European golfer in the history of the European Tour. He was at the top of the European Tour Order of Merit seven years in a row and finds himself there this year as well. That is an unbelievable feat. However, Monty’s game hasn’t been the same across the pond. It’s a possibility his game just isn’t fit for American golf courses. That’s tough to believe because he has finished high on numerous occasions in the United States.
The problem has to do with Monty’s confidence, or lack thereof. Colin Montgomerie has been the big fish in the smaller European Tour pond for the past decade. When he comes to the United States and plays in the world’s biggest events, he gets intimidated. Monty usually plays well the first two or three days in major championships. When the final round rolls around, the intimidation factor sets in.
I can’t count how many times Monty has choked in big tournaments, including the American Express Championship this past weekend. He just doesn’t believe he can win in the United States, and he won’t win until he believes otherwise. When a golfer believes they can win, they can win. When they think they can possibly lose, they usually lose. Monty’s lackluster mental approach has hurt him many times, especially his putting down the stretch.
The final reason Monty hasn’t won in the United States is the fact he rarely plays in the U.S. Montgomerie is one of the few elite European players to focus mainly on the European Tour. Others like Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington play much more in the United States then they do in Europe. Monty stays in Europe most of the year, and he probably would have numerous victories in the U.S. if played a full schedule.
Monty Will Triumph on American Soil
It’s time to talk about some positives for Monty now that the negatives are out of the way. The past few seasons have been awful by Colin Montgomerie’s standards, and it’s been great to see him rebound so well in 2005. He is once again one of the elite European golfers in the world. Monty started the season ranked 80th in the world, and now he is ranked 14th. As a fan of Monty, I am very pleased to see him playing so well again. I thought he would never seriously contend in big tournaments again, and I’m glad I was wrong.
Monty still hasn’t shaken the monkey off his back and won in the United States, but that will all change in 2006. It’s never too early to make some predictions for 2006. Colin Montgomerie will win in the United States next year and it will be in a major championship. Monty is still very accurate off the tee, and his iron-play is excellent as well. The one achilles heel in Monty’s career has been his putting down the stretch.
Colin Montgomerie’s game really sets up nicely for a U.S. Open, and as I mentioned above, he has come very close to winning the event in past years. Next year’s U.S. Open will be played at Winged Foot Golf Club where Davis Love III won the PGA Championship in 1997. Monty’s game fits Winged Foot very nicely, and he finished in a tie for 13th there in 1997. Montgomerie’s first major championship will come at the 2006 U.S. Open. You heard it here first, so write it down.
The Final Say
Colin Montgomerie is easily one of the best golfers of his generation and deserves to be talked about in elite status. The one chink in his armor is his winless record in major championships and on United States soil. Monty has dominated the European Tour the past 10 or 15 years and is a future Hall of Famer. However, if the ballots were cast right now, the experts would leave him out because he hasn’t won the big ones.
It’s definitely not a guarantee that Monty will win the U.S. Open next year, but he is my early pick. Whether or not the U.S. Open next year or not, Monty will get get his win on United States soil pretty soon. And it will be a major championship. Monty will kill two birds with one stone and rise above the problems of his past. Currently, Colin Montgomerie is the best player to have never won a major championship, and once he does, he will be Hall of Fame bound.
That’s all I have to say this week. It’s time for you to share your opinions and ideas. Does Monty get intimidated by the world’s best in pressure situations? Will he ever get over this curse and win on United States soil? Finally, will Monty ever win a major championship, or will his legacy be tarnished by not winning the big one? If you have anything to add, feel free to comment below or discuss it in our forum. Thanks for reading Thrash Talk this week and have a great golf week! I am going to be playing in North Carolina this weekend in the Newport Cup, so I know I will.
Photo Credit: © Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP.