Fellow Scot Sandy Lyle has issued a subtle reminder to Colin Montgomerie as he this week’s makes his seniors tour debut in Pittsburgh, and a hopeful first-ever ‘Major’ success.
Monty turned 50 today and he’ll step out onto the Fox Chapel Golf Club on Thursday for the Senior Players Championship and the third of five Majors for the over-50 brigade.
Lyle is five years older than Monty but is yet to win on the lucrative US Seniors circuit.
And Lyle joked: “Just because Monty’s won a whole bunch of tournaments on the European Tour doesn’t mean he’ll find it a breeze in the seniors.
“A lot of the old farts out here can still play the game, so Monty’s not going to have it all his own way.”
In the field also will be fellow Senior’s Tour rookie, Steve Elkington who defeated Monty in a play-off for the 1995 PGA Championship at Riveria in Los Angeles.
Three years earlier, Monty had been congratulated by Jack Nicklaus in ‘winning’ on debut the 1992 US Open only to have American Tom Kite sweep through the field and claim victory.
Monty again went agonisingly close to winning a Major losing to long-time arch rival Ernie Els in a play-off for the 1994 US Open at Oakmont and again having to settle for second one shot behind the South African in the 1997 US Open at Congressional.
Monty also let slip victory in taking a 72nd hole double bogey in the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot.
But after going winless on the main European Tour since his 31st Tour success in 2007, Monty is looking forward to rubbing shoulders with players more around his same age.
“I know Bernhard Langer very well, he’s a personal friend and we’ve played many matches together in Ryder Cups and all sorts and I know how good he is,” said Monty.
“Although he’s on top of the tree right now, the standard is quite phenomenal and I’m in no illusion at all to think that this will prove very difficult, but I look forward to the challenge of it and look forward to competing again on a level playing field.
“But you know, right now I’m playing on the European Tour against guys that are well under half my age, I’ve got children older than them, and it doesn’t seem fair.
“So at least when I get into Pittsburgh tomorrow (MON) I’m sure I will feel that I’m on more of a level playing field.”
