Monty bears fruit on tour

Colin Montgomerie won the Pacific Links Bear Mountain championship on the Champions Tour, defeating American Scott McCarron with a birdie on the third hole of a play-off.

Montgomerie closed with a fourunder 67 to match McCarron at 15-under 198 at the Bear Mountain Resort in Langford, Canada.

Tiger Woods will be crucial to the US team at Hazeltine as a reminder of what it takes to be prepared for the Ryder Cup according to former captain Paul Azinger.

The only American to lead his team to a victory in the Ryder Cup this century dismisses the notion that fun in the team room to relax the players is the key to success.

Azinger believes the key to victory in the Ryder Cup is preparation which is why Europe has dominated in recent times and why Woods’ presence as a vice-captain was a good move by Davis Love III.

“Tiger is going to be terrific in the team room,” said Azinger, who will form part of Sky Sports’ commentary and analysis team.

“What Tiger needs to be is the man who reminds players how to think, how to get prepared.

“Great players don’t need lessons, they need reminders. Sometimes people get obsessed with the wrong thing and I think Tiger has the ability to remind these great players that there is no shortcut to winning any event.

“Players must get prepared to win and Tiger, I think, will preach that message of preparation to the players. He’s going to be very beneficial.”

The American players have closer bonds than in previous stagings of the match according to Azinger, but he does not necessarily think that is a good thing.

“I wonder if Tiger is the last real intimidator in golf,” said Azinger. “It’s great they’re all friends but it’s not about having fun. You don’t want to take 12 guys, put them in

“What Tiger needs to be is the man who reminds players how to think”

a room and everybody try to have fun.

“I don’t know what this whole idea is. The only recipe for success is to get prepared. There’s nothing fun on Friday morning when the bell rings and there are 600 million people watching and all you did was have fun all week. I think that’s the reason Tiger Woods is there because who knew how to prepare better for big events than Tiger?

“They can all be best friends if they want, but it doesn’t make them winners of the Ryder Cup unless they get prepared.”

The Valhalla captain of 2008 is also dismissive of the idea six rookies in the team is a disadvantage for Europe.

“We had six rookies in 2008, but they weren’t rookies at golf,” he said. “My first Ryder Cup as a player in 1989 was my best and I just think that’s overblown.

“It’s intimidating and all that, but these are professionals and they know how to prepare and deal with pressure so I don’t see it as a problem at all.

“It was a non-issue for us and I really don’t see it being a big issue for Europe either.”

Azinger declined the opportunity to be on the US task force aimed at boosting their Ryder Cup fortunes, but he broadly supports its aims, and feels even if the US were to lose it remains a policy worth pursuing.

“I met with the PGA of America on four separate occasions and I talked about what Europe have had in place since Tony Jacklin was captain,” he said.

“We don’t have any continuity, we never do the same thing from one Ryder Cup to the next, it’s willy-nilly and fly by the seat of our pants.

“Hal Sutton did it his way, Tom Lehman did it his way, I did something completely different. Corey Pavin didn’t care what I did. Tom Watson didn’t care what Davis or I did. Now here comes Davis again and he’s trying to be more inclusive with a lot of player input.

“There’s a philosophy in place now that they’re going to repeat over and over again. Even if we lose they can frame it as a new beginning.

“But I do believe their selection process has got the best players and they are on the right track. I do expect the US team to win this Ryder Cup, I really do.

“These are the best players America has to offer and you just have to get them ready to play. It’s not rocket science.”