BBC SPORT | Golf | Monty bids for Wentworth glory

The 38-year-old's main concern is the back injury which almost forced him to pull out of the German tournament.

The problem forced him to miss a player' meeting and a press conference at Wentworth on Wednesday.

"I think I will play on Thursday but to what standard I can compete remains to be seen," Montgomerie said after he played just five practice holes.

"I don't know how I am going to feel but I will give it a go. The weather isn't looking good but I want to try because my swing and my rhythm are good at the moment."

ls Monty back to his best?

His second place in Germany lifted him to sixth in the European Tour Order of Merit and his putting has benefitted from his switch to a long handle putter earlier this year.

Montgomerie will face a strong field, which includes US Open champion Retief Goosen and two-time Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal, who won this event in 1994.

Andrew Oldcorn won at Wentworth in 2001

Although Goosen could only finish 60th in Germany - his worst finish of the season - he is still the European number one.

Scotland's Andrew Oldcorn will be defending the title he won last year when he edged out Angel Cabrera and Nick Faldo by two shots.

The Scot's preparations have not been helped by an upset stomach which forced him to miss Wednesday's press conference.

But he is confident that he will be ready to tee off alongside Goosen and Padraig Harrington.

"Obviously I want to give myself every chance to put up a good defence of the title. I just need as much as rest as I can get but I should be fine tomorrow." he said.

Oldcorn's 2001 victory

English pair Lee Westwood and Justin Rose need to finish in the top three at Wentworth if they are to play in next month's US Open at Bethpage State Park.

Westwood's recent form has been disappointing
Westwood is in danger of missing the US Open

The world's top 50 ranked players qualify for the event and both Westwood (71st) and Rose (62nd) still have some ground to make up.

Apart from Westwood and Montgomerie, there are seven other members of the European Ryder Cup team in action - Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke, Niclas Fasth, Pierre Fulke, Harrington, Paul McGinley and Phillip Price.

The course has been significantly altered since it hosted the World Match Play Championship last October.

The first tee has been re-aligned and pushed back by three yards, the 13th hole has been lengthened by 25 yards and new fairway bunkers have been added to the 15th and 16th.


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