After having to be the bridesmaid so many times in the regular Majors Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie is now a Major Champion after capturing the 75th Seniors PGA Championship in Michigan.
Monty grabbed seven birdies, including three in succession mid-round, in a final round 65 for a 13-under par tally on the Harbor Shores course at Benton Harbor.
Victory not only earns the eight-time former European No. 1 a 10-year exemption on the Seniors Tour but he also earns a place in this year’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.
2014 USA Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson was second at nine under par and also shooting a final round six under par 65.
Colin Montgomerie lifts 2014 Seniors PGA trophy.
Monty began the final round with a one-shot lead over Bernhard Langer and he increased the lead to two shots at the turn, then doubled that margin when Langer dumped an 8-iron into the water at the par-3 11th hole and made double bogey.
“I learned today to concentrate on me, and possibly I haven’t in the past,” said Monty.
“We’re always learning and today I concentrated on my own play and could only worry about myself.”
The victory was first as a senior, his first in seven years and his first in an official event in the United States. He also claimed a senior major in his fifth attempt, something he didn’t accomplish in 71 majors in his regular tour days.
Monty’s victory is his first since winning the 2007 European Open for his 31st European Tour title.
The Scot offered some comic relief on the final hole when he pulled his final approach some 20 yards only to get a bounce off the grandstand. The ball rolled to the middle of the green to set up a tap-in par.
Colin Montgomerie wins his first Major – 2014 PGA Seniors Championship in Michigan.
“I feel fantastic, really, superb,” he said.
“There’s a motto: ‘If you fail and fail, you come back and try again.’
“I’ve had a couple of failures here in America and close calls, especially in major championships, and it’s great to finally win, never mind a Champions Tour event, but a Senior PGA Championship event.”
Watson, bidding to become the oldest senior major winner at age 64, was 6 under on the day through 14 holes, but parred his way in for a 65.
Monty had so many close calls in the regular Majors. Firstly in 1994 U.S. Open at Oakmont, he lost to Ernie Els in a three-man 18-hole playoff that also included American Loren Roberts.
Monty shot 78 as Els and Roberts matched 74s and Els won on the 20th hole. Monty was back in a major playoff the next year, at the 1995 PGA Championship at Riviera in suburban Los Angeles.
He birdied the final three holes to get in a playoff with Australia’s Steve Elkington, but lost on the first hole of sudden death.
Els humbled Monty again at 1997 U.S. Open at Congressional, beating the Scot by one shot.
In the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot, Monty had a 7-iron from the middle of the fairway to the 72nd green, but came up short, made double bogey and lost to eventual champion Geoff Ogilvy by one shot.
Monty’s other runner-up finish in a major came in the 2005 Open at St. Andrews, where he came home five shots behind Tiger Woods.
