Mark O'Meara tips
Monty & GarciaMark
O'Meara today revealed he would not be in the least surprised if Colin Montgomerie
succeeds him as Open champion on Sunday - or if Sergio Garcia becomes the youngest
winner for 129 years. Montgomerie
has missed the halfway cut in five of the last seven Opens but O'Meara has named
the six-time European number one as one of his "four to follow" at Carnoustie. "I
know his record is pretty awful but I think Monty might sneak it," said the
41-year-old American, winner of both the Masters and Open last year. "He
definitely has the talent - there is no question about that - and the fact that
the fairways are the narrowest I have ever seen at an Open has got to favour him." O'Meara
was 18 years into his professional career before claiming his first major title
at Augusta 15 months ago. Now he thinks Montgomerie can do it after 12 years of
waiting. "The
hardest thing about trying to win your first major is being calm and patient and
waiting for the right break at the right time," he said. "You
need luck to win any tournament, but that applies in majors more than ever." The
other three names O'Meara mentioned as the main contenders are Tiger Woods, David
Duval - the world's top two players - and Garcia, now trying to emulate Woods
by capturing his first-ever major as a professional. The
Spaniard, winner of the Irish Open two weeks ago and joint runner-up behind Montgomerie
at Loch Lomond on Saturday, would be the youngest champion since Young Tom Morris
in 1870. He was 19 years and five months when he won his third successive title
- Garcia is 19 and six months. O'Meara
sounded an ominous warning for both Montgomerie and Garcia, however, by saying
that Woods, his neighbour and travelling companion, is in scintillating form. Woods
has won three of his last four tournaments - and was third in the US Open in the
other - and O'Meara said: "Tiger will have no problem coping with the conditions. "He
is playing real well. He has his game under control and is putting extremely well.
That is what was lacking last year." As
for is own chances, O'Meara added: "I am not bubbling with confidence but
I don't think my winning again is totally out of the question." He
does, however, believe that any past Open champion could make their presence felt
and said: "They have dealt with these conditions and know what is needed." Twice-winner
Greg Norman, who missed last year's championship following shoulder surgery, is
rated as high as 66-1 in the betting and O'Meara said: "I would lay some
money on that." The
way he said it indicated that he was thinking only of an each-way bet on the 44-year-old
Australian. It may
have been the eve of his Open defence, but O'Meara was still prepared to talk
at length about the thorny of issue of whether players should be paid for Ryder
Cups. O'Meara
believes that as things stand they should, but stated: "Some of the stuff
that I read, that I'm gonna boycott or Tiger is boycotting or demanding this,
demanding that - I've never demanded anything. "As
long as the PGA of America and the European PGA and European Tour feel like the
money is going back to further the game or going to good charities, I have no
problem not being paid. "Some
people agree with me, some people don't. That's life. I mean, I don't claim to
have all the answers. "I
could be wrong. I have been wrong before. I didn't get paid to play at Valderrama
two years ago and I don't think I should be crucified because our team didn't
play any good."
| 
