Fans upset Montgomerie again

Colin Montgomerie's parting gesture at the USPGA Championship shows all is still not well in his relationship with American fans.

After Montgomerie had holed a 15ft birdie putt on the final green to finish joint sixth, five shots behind Tiger Woods, he pointed his putter towards the gallery in what looked like a response to a comment made at him.

But the Scot, heckled at both the US Open and USPGA last year, was not alone in having problems from the noisy Chicago crowd.

Winner Woods said: "People were saying things they shouldn't have and also heckled Mike Weir (his Canadian playing partner).

"Some guy yelled out '1,000 you don't slice it in the water on 17'. People were saying that on the 13th. They were saying some pretty tough things - not racist but not nice.

"There were also a lot of wonderful people supporting me but some just want to be heard. I felt bad for Mike."

Montgomerie limitted his comments afterwards to his golf. "I played really solid the last three days but didn't convert my opportunities," he said.

It is a small crumb of comfort from another Major that has passed him by, but Montgomerie has stretched his lead at the top of the European Order of Merit and is even closer to finishing number one for a remarkable seventh successive season.

Lee Westwood, who had his own problems partnering Woods on Saturday, finished 74-75 and dropped from fourth to 16th. Open runner-up Jean Van de Velde was 26th, Ryder Cup captain Mark James 31st after a closing 67 and Open champion Paul Lawrie 34th.