Montgomerie holds key to European team

He still hasn't won a major, he's no longer No. 1 in Europe and he's fighting a chronic back ailment. Other than that, Colin Montgomerie may be the key to Europe's chances in the Ryder Cup.

Montgomerie, making his sixth Cup appearance, remains a pivotal leader of the European side that will try to regain golf's most prized team trophy from the United States starting Friday at The Belfry.

"We have a super chance," he said. "I think it's going to be very close again."

The 39-year-old Scot has been a Ryder Cup stalwart, accumulating 14 points with a record of 12 wins, 7 losses and four halves. He's unbeaten in singles matches.

Ten days ago, Montgomerie wasn't even sure he'd be able to play due to a recurring back strain which forced him to pull out of two tournaments this season.

Now that he's here, the question is whether he's fit enough to play in five matches over three days -- two pairs matches on both Friday and Saturday and a singles on Sunday. If not, the underdog Europeans will be hard pressed to wrest back the trophy won by the Americans in 1999 in Brookline, Massachusetts.

"If asked, I'm fit enough to play every game," Montgomerie said Wednesday after another practice round on the Brabazon course. "There were times over the last months where I really thought I was going to have to take the rest of the year off. There were times I didn't think I was going to play. But it's OK now. I'm fine now."

Montgomerie was Europe's top money winner for seven straight years from 1993 to 1999, but has slipped to No. 7 on the list this season. But he sees that as an advantage this time.

"I don't have the No. 1 tag, and I think that's quite good," Montgomerie said. "It's a more relaxing position I'm in. Being the No. 1 player in Europe does bring its pressure on. Now I don't have that pressure and stress. I'm more relaxed because of that."

The last Ryder Cup was anything but relaxing for Montgomerie, who endured vicious heckling and taunting from American fans in one of the most contentious Cups in history.

"I don't want that to happen again for anybody, myself or my team, even the American team," he said. "I wouldn't want that to happen to anybody."

U.S. captain Curtis Strange and his European counterpart, Sam Torrance, have urged players and fans to be more civil this time. The fact that the Ryder Cup was postponed a year after the Sept. 11 attacks has also toned down the atmosphere.

"We understand the position that we're in for the good of the game of golf," Montgomerie said. "I feel that is very important that we show a certain example to the crowd and hopefully they can react to our behavior."

Montgomerie admitted that the unruly crowd behavior in 1999 inspired him to play his best ever golf on American soil as he won three matches, lost one and halved one.

"It just happened that it was a negative part of the crowd that I turned into a positive for myself," he said. "Hopefully that negative part of the crowd will not be here this year. And if they are, well, let's hope they're here for a very short time."

On the final day at Brookline, Montgomerie overcame the verbal abuse and defeated Payne Stewart 1-up. It wasn't enough to stop the Americans from completing a record comeback to win the Cup 14 1/2-13 1/2.

In a gesture of sportsmanship, Stewart conceded a long putt to Montgomerie at the 18th.

Montgomerie paid tribute to the way Stewart, who died in a plane crash a month later, handled the situation.

"It was a shame the way it finished," Montgomerie said. "He'd had enough, I'd had enough and he picked up my ball at the last. I'll never forget that. When I look back at Brookline, the memories are not all fond. But that match I will always think of with fond memories."

For now, Montgomerie is savoring his role as a team leader and elder statesman, which he shares with 45-year-old Bernhard Langer, playing in his 10th Ryder Cup.

"I still feel like I have sort of an on-course role," he said. "On the course, Bernhard and myself would be seen as on-course leaders. It's a position that I like and thrive on."

Montgomerie also thrives on the Ryder Cup's match play format.

"I think I have more freedom with the putts, and I hit the ball harder on the greens, and the ball seems to go in more than not," he said. "I like match play. I like a one-on-one situation. I like to see my opponent playing alongside me, as opposed to 150 other guys spread all over the course."

If Europe has one advantage over the Americans, Montgomerie says, it's that the players have more camaraderie and team spirit because they spend more time together on the European tour.

"We are closer than the American tour in general," he said. "I feel that it's easier for us to help each other out and play alongside each other."

That would explain the tendency of the Europeans to do well in the fourballs and foursomes on the first two days, with the Americans excelling in the singles on the third day.

"We've won very few singles series over the last 20 years," Montgomerie said. "Let's hope we can change that this time."