MONTGOMERIE PROFILE Age: 43 Country: Scotland Ryder Cup caps: 7 (1991, 1993, 1995 winners, 1997 w, 1999, 2002 w, 2004 w) Record: W19, H5, L8 Position qualified: 5th World ranking: 14

The great Scot goes into his eighth Ryder Cup as the bedrock upon which Ian Woosnam's European team is built.

The 43-year-old has been the undoubted star of the last two events and seems inspired by the team environment.

He needed a wildcard to make the side at Oakland Hills in 2004 but sealed a fairytale comeback from a slump, injury and divorce to hole the winning putt.

Monty went on to win his eighth European Order of Merit last year but his infamous major quest goes on.

Montgomerie has now finished second in five majors and blew possibly his best chance of capturing one of golf's top prizes when he double-bogeyed the last hole in the US Open in June to finish as runner-up to Geoff Ogilvy by one shot.

He sealed his place in this year's side early in the qualifying period with wins in the Dunhill Links Championship last October and in Hong Kong in December, but following his US Open heroics at Winged Foot he missed the cut in the Open and USPGA.

Montgomerie, who won seven straight Order of Merits between 1993-1999, may never go on to win a major title, but his legacy will be as one of Europe's greatest ever Ryder Cup players, and a certain captain at some time in the future.