Monty: I've plenty of time to find my form and get the old me back

Jun 8 2008 Gordon Waddell

COLIN MONTGOMERIE knows no one is immortal. He knows his era has been and gone.

But Monty insists he'll still wring the life out of it for another seven years in a bid to become Europe's golden oldie.

The Scot, who turns 45 this month, will peg it up in the US Open this week, sitting outside the world's top 100 for the first time in 18 years.

Montgomerie believes he can find golf's elixir, though, and drink in enough of it to see him play at the top in his own backyard into his 50s.

And he reckons the secret to turning Old Monty into the Monty of old is all in the numbers.

Speaking to MailSport at Gleneagles last week, the eight-time European Order of Merit winner said: "One day it has to happen, that your era ends, otherwise Muhammad Ali would still be world champion! You cannot be in the position I was forever.

"But I want to sustain the tailingoff period for as long as possible.

"I'm exempt on the European Tour through 2015 and that would take me to 52.

"I intend to be playing full-time out here until I'm 52 - and winning.

"Miguel Angel Jimenez is my age - I know he looks older - but he won our flagship event, the BMW PGAChampionship, two weeks ago.

Brutal

"Then Kenny Perry won one of America's big ones last week, The Memorial Tournament, and he's a couple of years older than me.

"This isn't a game which is agedependent.

I've just had a bad run and need to get it back again."

That trips off the tongue when it's said quickly. Actually arresting the slide is the hard bit.

However, Monty can at least put his finger on the root of his troubles.

Through a dream decade he was like a machine from the tee, hitting fairway after fairway, green after green in regulation.

It's why the US Open was always the Major he was most likely to win, the one that demanded the greatest accuracy.

It's also why Monty is more intimidated this week by a brutal course than he has ever been.

Asked if that's because he's less accurate or less confident, he shrugged: "I'm less confident because I'm less accurate. I haven't been hitting fairways as regularly.

I used to take it as read I'd hit 12 out of 14 in a round. Now it's eight.

"Miss four fairways more a round and there will be a couple of bogeys in there. Multiply that by four over a tournament and it's eight shots.

"That takes you from fifth to 40th and that's what is happening to me.

"If I can put balls on the fairway I'll be fine. I have to become the Monty of old - I'm working on that.

"I used to put a bad performance in a vault and get on with it but I've started to pick more bones out of where I'm going wrong.

"I'm becoming more analytical, more statistical, to find out why."

And while Monty insists a good performance this week on one of the world's toughest tracks at Torrey Pines could cure him, he's just as adamant that another missed cut won't kill him.

He said: "I can't get less confident than I am right now anyway.

"I won't be coming back saying I've lost it because I've shot 10 over in a US Open. That might win it! But if I do well it would prove I belong in that top bracket.

"I don't have any confidence to lose. So if I can contend it proves to me that I can compete."

Monty was in top form at Gleneagles as he revelled in his role as chairman of the JohnnieWalker Championship - an event set to draw a class field as the final counter in the Ryder Cup race come August.

He also admitted he can't wait to get back to Loch Lomond for the Barclays Scottish Open and sample some of the feelgood factor he picked up at his million-pound wedding there in the spring. Colin said: "It will bring some positive thoughts for me.

"I must have played that eighth hole, the par three in front of the house, about 18 times during my wedding. If I bogey that hole in the tournament I'm in trouble!

"But it's a special place for me and I am happier, no question, off the course now. It will feed through.

"You saw me in 2003 and 2004. I wasn't all that happy was I? The golf suffered and that'swhy Iwent down to 83rd in the world."

He has a chance to start the climb back to respectability in California this week. But, as ever, he reckons they will all be chasing one man.

Tiger Woods will play his first event since knee surgery amid rumours he has still not fully recovered. However, Monty laughed: "One legged, one armed, whatever - he's still to be feared.

"Tiger will have delayed coming back for a reason. He will have gone to Torrey Pines on the QT and won't be in a Major if he's not 100 per cent.

"Majors take it out of you but he's a physical specimen the likes of which we've never known.

"I'm sure his injured leg will be twice as good as my fit one. I'm sure there will be reports of him limping but has anyone actually seen it?

"Tiger will still be the hot favourite but the competition is good - and getting better all the time."