It has become one of the most repeated statements in world sport but one which continues to fascinate us all nonetheless.
Colin Montgomerie is the best golfer never to have won a major and the longer that fact remains the less likely the prospects of him breaking his infamous duck.
As widely a touted statement as his lack of a major victory is that he’s most likely to scoop one of golf’s four premier titles at the US Open. And it’s at Pebble Beach this year where the Scot bids to beat the devil inside and win on American soil for the first time.
Montgomerie, a seven-time winner of the European Order of Merit, needs to prove to no one that he is among the greatest players of the modern era. No one, that is, except himself.
Admittedly the press are an expectant bunch, and they have every right to be with Monty winning just about every other week on the European Tour.
But, when it comes to the majors, no one puts themselves under as much pressure to succeed as Montgomerie who, for all his near-misses, seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders every time he steps onto the tee in the States.
He returns to Pebble Beach to the site of his first-ever US Open appearance back in 1992, a contest that will revive fond memories.
It was at the picturesque Californian course eight years ago that the-then 28-year-old announced himself on the world scene by leading for most of the final day, only for Tom Kite and Jeff Sluman to pass him late on and relegate him to third. Even the great Jack Nicklaus thought that Monty had won the title, until he was overtaken.
Indeed, it has been in this tournament that he’s come closest to breaking his duck.
Colin Montgomerie during his practice round at Pebble Beach. Allsport
In 1994, he tied for second with Loren Roberts after being blown away in a play-off with Ernie Els and the likeable South African again proved to be Monty’s undoing at Congressional in 1997. Yet the Scot has never missed the cut in eight US Open appearances with a worst finish of joint-33rd.
His best finish at the Masters is a tie for eighth two seasons ago while, at the Open championship, where he’s missed the cut five times, a tie for eighth in 1994 is his best showing. He also lost to Steve Elkington in a play-off for the USPGA championship at the Riviera Country Club in 1995.
As usual, Montgomerie is in prime form going into this US Open. He arrives in California on the back of six consecutive top-eight finishes on the European PGA Tour, including his third straight win in the PGA Championship at Wentworth.
"I’m getting a bit sick and tired of it all," said Montgomerie, after his PGA success. "There is nothing left for me to prove. The way my career has gone could not have been better and, if I win a major, great, if I don’t, so be it.
"But I'm very much looking forward to Pebble Beach and that's my next goal," he said.
