The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Montgomerie invokes spirit of Bruce to claim major
COLIN MONTGOMERIE quoted the Robert the Bruce phrasebook as he reflected on his first US tournament win and the first with the word “major” next to it.
The Scot, who produced a near flawless round of 65 at Harbor Shores in Michigan to lift the Senior PGA Championship title, believes the victory was the reward for more than two decades of perseverance.
“It’s fantastic,” he said. “It’s superb. There’s a motto. If you fail, you try and try again.”
Montgomerie entered the final round with a one-stroke lead over former Ryder Cup partner Bernhard Langer and there were many who predicted another collapse but Monty made it look easy on Sunday as he shot his best round of the week to finish at 13 under par.
He said: “From the time I hit a seven-iron on the first hole and made the birdie putt from 15 feet, I felt relaxed. I wasn’t nervous at all.
“I had to concentrate on me, my own play. You learn. You mature.”
The runner-up by four shots was Tom Watson.
The US team captain for Gleneagles in the autumn congratulated Montgomerie but also qualified the achievement.
He said: “You’re not playing against the best but you’re playing against the best of your age. But you still won a major.You won the most important tournament.”
Mongomerie has finished second five times in a major and lost twice in a play-off.
He added: “I’ve been coming here for 22 years to try to win a major championship.
“It’s a relief. I can build on this now. I look forward to the next major championship.”
Monty paid tribute to Watson and had a word of warning for Paul McGinley’s Ryder Cup team.
He said: “It was a fantastic round of golf by Tom Watson at 64 years old.
“If his Ryder Cup team this year has the determination and drive and ambition he does, we’re in trouble.”
The victory gives Montgomerie a spot in the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville in A ugust and he said if he can play as well there as he did here, he can compete and possibly even win.