That's Colin Montgomerie's record in golf's four majors - and
his worst showing has been at home in the British Open.
The Scot has missed the cut five of 10 times and never finished
higher than an eighth-place tie six years ago.
Playing this week on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Montgomerie
should be under even more pressure. Instead, he says he's as
relaxed as ever.
The frenzy around Tiger Woods has helped. So has the revival of
six-time major winner Nick Faldo and the presence of 22 former Open
champions like Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Tom
Watson.
This is the third Open in four years in Scotland, and that also
might have reduced the pressure for Europe's top player the last
seven years. He finished in a 24th-place tie in '97 at Troon, where
his father was the longtime secretary, and he tied for 15th last
year at Carnoustie where fellow Scot Paul Lawrie upstaged him by
winning.
``I feel I am better, I feel I've improved. And I feel I'm
possibly more relaxed coming in here,'' Montgomerie said Wednesday
on the eve of the Open.
``Going into Carnoustie ... there was a certain weight of
expectation that is sometimes difficult to play on. This year the
weight of expectation is not so great.''
Montgomerie said his often-faltering putter was better than it's
been in years. He's won twice this year in Europe and is coming off
a third-place finish last week at Loch Lomond near his birthplace
in western Scotland.
Montgomerie's record in the two majors this season has been
about par for him lately: tied for 19th in the Masters and a
46th-place tie in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. However, in '97 he
lost a playoff to win the U.S. Open and, in '95, the same thing
happened in the PGA.
``This is not now or never,'' he said. ``If I don't win this
Open that doesn't mean I can't win one.
``I think I can remain in the top 10 in the world for the next
five years. If I achieve that I have 20 opportunities of winning a
major. Right? This is just one of 20.''
NO PALMER
Arnold Palmer was not among the 22 former champions
who played Wednesday in a four-hole exhibition on the Old Course.
There was no snub, however. Palmer was invited but decided
against it.
``He said his goodbyes in '95,'' said his agent, Doc Giffin.
``He hasn't indicated to me any great sadness in not playing.''
Palmer, 70, won the Open in 1961 and '62 at Birkdale and Troon.
A rule whereby past winners were exempt until age 65 was altered
in 1995 to ''65 and under'' so Palmer could compete at St. Andrews
that year. At the time, Palmer said it was almost certainly his
final appearance at St. Andrews.
ODDS UPDATE
British bookmaker William Hills said Wednesday that
South African Ernie Els is the player it fears most.
Quoted at 10-1 and second favorite to win the Open, Els is
drawing the heaviest betting. Tiger Woods is 2-1 to win.
Phil Mickelson is 20-1 followed by David Duval (22-1), Jim Furyk
and Tom Lehman (28-1), Darren Clarke, Davis Love, Jesper Parnevik,
Nick Price and Vijay Singh (33-1), Michael Campbell, Sergio Garcia,
Justin Leonard and Jose Maria Olazabal (40-1).
Defending champion winner Lawrie is 125-1 and three-time British
Open champion Seve Ballesteros was listed at 2-9 to miss the cut
and 300-1 to win the tournament. Jack Nicklaus was 250-1.
SCOTTISH RYDER 2009
Scotland wants to play host to the 2009
Ryder Cup.
``There is no better location for the tournament than in the
country known as the home of golf,'' said Glen Kirton, the bid
committee head who also landed England's 1996 European Championship
in soccer. ``There are more than 500 golf courses in Scotland and
each of the five who are bidding to stage the Ryder Cup, if we
succeed in bringing it here, represents everything that golf in
Scotland stands for.''
Bids for the 2009 Ryder Cup must be submitted by the end of
September. The Ryder Cup committee will decide by the end of
December which country is successful.
The five Scottish courses in the running are: St. Andrews,
Carnoustie, Gleneagles, Turnberry and Loch Lomond. If Scotland's
bid is successful, the Ryder Cup committee will decide next year
what course will be the host.
Scotland has only held one Ryder Cup, in 1973 at Muirfield.
It faces competition from Slaley Hall in England, Celtic Manor
in Wales, a yet undetermined course in Sweden, and Caldas near
Barcelona.
CAMPBELL'S COMEBACK?
Michael Campbell doesn't want to be
remembered as the flashy, young upstart who squandered a 3-stroke
lead at the British Open and handed the title to John Daly.
If he gets ahead this time, he's going home with the famous
claret jug.
On his first visit to St. Andrews in 1995, the New Zealander was
the leader going into the final round but lost it when he shot a
76.
That was in his first tournament at the home of golf in only his
second year as a pro. This time, he says, the maturity that comes
with five more years experience - much of it a struggle - will make
sure he's better prepared.
``My form this year and recently is at least as good as five
years ago and there's no reason why I can't get into the same
position again,'' he said after his practice round on the eve of
the 129th Open.
``This time I feel more at ease. Five years ago I was a bit
jumpy.''
