Fresh from finishing in a tie for third place behind Bernhard Langer in last week’s Senior Players Championship, Colin Montgomerie has talked up his chances of contending in the US Open Championship.
Despite suffering a health scare after completing his third round last Saturday, Montgomerie secured his ninth top ten finish of the season on the US Champions Tour to maintain his lead at the top of the Charles Schwab Cup Points.
Montgomerie earned his place in this week’s 156-man field at Chambers Bay courtesy of his victory in last year’s US Senior Open Championship, where he defeated Gene Sauers in a play-off.
His success in the over-50s ranks – he has won six times on the European Senior Tour – allied to his rich vein of current form, has led Montgomerie to feel emboldened as he prepares to tackle Robert Trent Jones Jnr’s quirky creation.
Montgomerie said: “It’s fantastic to be here. You feel these days are behind you, so it’s great to be playing here and Whistling Straits again this year [for the US PGA Championship], and I’m also going to go home and try to qualify for The Open as well.
“If I qualify (for St Andrews) at Woburn that would be my eighth Major of the year – now there’s a stat.”
Montgomerie got his first taste of Chambers Bay on Tuesday, but he was pleased to hear the reviews of the links-style course and the hard, dry conditions.
“It might be one of these strange situations where someone like myself, a shorter hitter compared to the bombers, can manoeuvre it round as well as a bomber can.
“A lot of people have said ‘Oh my God’, which I like because it means they are not in the right frame of mind to do well. So let’s be positive.
“I’m hitting the ball well. You can’t beat the likes of Bernhard Langer, Kenny Perry, Davis Love, Miguel Angel Jiménez and Fred Couples if your game isn’t right. It’s great competition and I’m loving it.”
The only Senior Major missing from Montgomerie’s CV is the Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex, which will be held this year on one of the Scot’s favourite courses, Sunningdale Golf Club, from July 23-26.
