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| | Wednesday, 29 May, 2002, 12:12 GMT 13:12 UK Monty eyes top spot Montgomerie is aiming to recapture his European title Colin Montgomerie will use this week's British Masters at Woburn to continue his assault on the European Order of Merit and fine-tune his game ahead of the US Open. The Scot has made great strides in recent weeks to recapture the form that won him seven European titles between 1993 and 1999. He lost to Tiger Woods in a play-off at the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open and was runner-up, with Eduardo Romero, to Anders Hansen at the Volvo PGA at Wentworth. Montgomerie has battled a back injury and needed intense physiotherapy to enable him to complete both tournaments.
Expert diagnosis has since suggested Montgomerie's injury is not career-threatening. "Colin does have some mild wear and tear, which is not serious but will, when aggravated, cause occasional pain," said osteopath Clive Lathey. "The prognosis is good and I believe there will be absolutely no need for surgery during Colin's career." But the 38-year-old is only too aware that time is running out - both to dominate in Europe again and to finally win a Major. After near misses as runner-up in 1994 and 1997, the US Open in two weeks' time is seen as his best chance of Major glory. Montgomerie is fourth on the Order of Merit but with leader Retief Goosen, Jose Maria Olazabal and Ernie Els all absent, the Scot could go top if he lands the �220,000 first prize. "I very much want to get back to the top (in Europe) again," said Montgomerie. "They are not paying out anything in May for top place but I want to show my peers I'm still capable of doing it. "And it would be a nice feeling to take to the US Open.
"If I do it again this year (and win an eighth order of merit), then it will probably mean more than the other seven because, in my book, finishing fifth represents a slump." Last year's event at Woburn threw up a thrilling finale with Thomas Levet winning a four-way play-off to become the first French winner on British soil since Arnaud Massy's 1907 Open Championship win. Levet beat off England's David Howell and Swedish pair Mathias Gronberg and Robert Karlsson to lift the title. After the quartet were tied on 14-under-par through 72 holes, Howell and Karlsson crashed out with bogeys at the first extra hole. Levet and Gronberg parred the next but the Frenchman holed a 10-foot putt for birdie on the third extra hole, sparking jubilant celebrations. This year Howell is missing with a broken arm, while Gronberg is with his American wife and newborn child. The Masters is being held on The Marquess course, Woburn's newest layout, for the second year. The 7,214-yard track - co-designed by Peter Alliss, Clive Clark, Ross McMurray and Alex Hay - is set among 200 acres of woodland in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. | |
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