Former victorious Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, and while singing the praise of Robert MacIntyre, says it is a ‘different dynamic’ if the young Scot should be handed a Whistling Straits ‘wildcard’ pick as opposed to the Ryder Cup being held in Europe.
A sunburnt Monty was at this glorious best in fielding questions from the media ahead of this week’s Senior Open championship at Sunningdale where he now resides.
The now 58-year-old and triple Senior Major winner will have his only son, Cameron on the bag for this week’s rescheduled event after being cancelled a year ago.
And while Monty will be focussed on career win number 55, he also has one-eye on how Padraig Harrington’s side is shaping-up for their showdown against a red-hot ‘Stars and Stripes’ outfit in now just two months.
Monty says Padriag Harrington facing tough decisions in picking a rookie for this year’s Ryder Cup
In particular, Monty was asked his assessment of MacIntyre following a second straight top-10 finish at The Open.
MacIntyre is currently five spots shy of qualifying from the ‘Europe’ points table but now only two places away from the ‘World’ points standing.
“Robert is right on the cusp now for the Ryder Cup selection and that ‘never say die, go for it’ attitude that we saw last Sunday from him at Royal St. George’s would be brilliant in a Ryder Cup format,” Monty said.
“The difficult decision for Padraig if Robert ends qualifying just outside the automatic picks will be do you pick a rookie when the Ryder Cup is in America,
“It’s going to be loud and that’s nothing against the American crowd, and it’s just they are (smiling) a little louder than we are. That’s great for the Ryder Cup and we’ve missed the crowds.
“Padraig and his vice-captains will have to get together and talk to Robert MacIntyre and ask is he able to handle that particular and different type of pressure, and right now he seems to be able to.
“Put is this way. If the Ryder Cup was in Europe, you’d have him in the team tomorrow but given it is in America, it brings a different dynamic to it.
“I’ve always said I was never going to pick a rookie. I did but mainly because it was at home but it’s very difficult to pick a rookie when it’s away from home as you are just not sure as it’s almost too much of a risk.
“But the way Robert plays the game, and a Ryder Cup-type game and that never say die game, as that is what you want in a Ryder Cup.”
Though what about the American crowds and how they could single-out a European rookie and turn on him as we’ve seen at prior Ryder Cup’s in the States?
Of course, we’ve seen how Monty was often singled out by beer-fuelled fans when competing at the height of his career in the States.
“It’s why I stand here as it is difficult to say as you have to pick someone who is not friehtened or not scared,” Monty said.
“You can say what you like about a player’s stats but you have got to be able to handle it in America.
“It will be even more difficult in America this year with the European situation not being where you are unable to fly over there. Normally, there is 90% Americans at a Ryder Cup in America so there will be 99% American fans this year.
“They will all come down I believe from Green Bay and their all ‘Cheese Heads’ and they’re all quite loud, so it’s going to be very difficult, very difficult as America wants back the Ryder Cup.”
Monty is among seven Scots in the Sunningdale field and will play the opening two rounds alongside Open Champion, Paul Lawrie and 2018 winner Miguel Angel Jimenez.
