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Colin Montgomerie is truly international sportsman who has climbed to the top echelons of the game because of his impressive, and eventually destructive, drive to be the best.
After being introduced into the golfing world by his father, who was secretary at Royal Troon, he attended Houston Baptist University in Texas under a golf scholarship, studying business management and law. Initially, Monty wasn't interested in becoming a professional; instead he planned a career in the business and management side of the game.
However, an enviable amateur record, including winning national championships and serving on two Walker Cup squads, helped convince him to have a tilt at the European tour and, after some success, he become professional in 1987. Characteristically, he waited after he had graduated.
It wasn't long before he sealed his first title on the professional circuit. Winning the Portuguese open in 1989 was just the beginning of a long and successful career spanning over 15 years (and counting) and bringing home over 20 professional titles.
Although, crucially, victory in one of the four Majors has still eluded him. With all of his success in the years to follow Monty has never managed to crack the biggest prizes in the game.
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He was an influential part of the Four Tours World Championship winning team, won the Alfred Dunhill Cup, World Cup, the Scandinavian Masters and, most importantly, kicked off his love affair with the Ryder Cup by being named in the unsuccessful European team for the so-called 'war on the shore' on Kiawah island.
The beginning of Montgomerie's domination of Europe started in 1993 when another host of titles were collected, including the Heineken Dutch Open and the Volvo Masters. More importantly, this was the year he climbed atop of the European order of Merit – and stayed for a record-breaking seven years.
