Monty meltdown spoils return to Ryder triumph
03 Jun 2011 - 18:00:09
Colin Montgomerie's return to the course where he led Europe to Ryder Cup glory in October ended with him carding his worst 36-hole score in a European event for more than 20 years.
Europe's victorious captain in their Ryder Cup match against the United States at Celtic Manor in October, added a 79 on Friday to his first round 78 in the Wales Open.
That left the Scot on 15 over par and when he missed the cut he was in joint last place.
Not since the 1991 Benson and Hedges International at St Mellion in Cornwall, south-west England, when he shot 80-81 to be 17 over, has Montgomerie suffered a worse 36-hole score on European soil as a professional golfer.
The eight-times European number one had looked in good touch when he finished seventh in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, south of London -- his first top 10 finish for almost three years.
But a day later Montgomerie, 48 this month, failed to qualify for the US Open and now faces 36 qualifying holes on Monday for the British Open at Sandwich, south-east England.
"I'm not 25 any more and I think it shows sometimes," Montgomerie, regarded as one of the best golfers never to have won one of the sport's four Majors, said after Friday's round in south Wales.
"I've been very busy and while it's good to be busy it takes a toll against guys who are only doing this (playing events) and guys only half your age.
"It's unfortunate, but that's the way it is and I have to accept that sometimes," he added.
"Playing well last week I felt I could perform well again, but I just played awful and I'm very disappointed not to be playing at the weekend, never mind contending."
