Colin Montgomerie would be a ``major'' talent if he had a more consistent putting touch.
It's a scary thought, considering the number of times the Scot has contended in a major championship but fallen short.
And imagine, if you will, how many titles Lee Westwood might claim once he gains a greater understanding of his game.
Montgomerie and Westwood are Europe's greatest hopes this week during this, the 10th anniversary of Nick Faldo's first Masters title.
Europeans have dominated the Masters with seven wins in the past 11 years, starting with Scotsman Sandy Lyle's triumph in 1988.
And Montgomerie enters Augusta National knowing 1998 was his best showing, the second time in seven tournaments that he has scored three rounds under par. The glaring statistic in his mind is that Mark O'Meara beat him by six shots, yet had 17 fewer putts than he did.
``Putting, really,'' Montgomerie said. ``That's your whole article about me. I can't seem to find the hole at Augusta, or anywhere else in the States.''
Many in the British media think Montgomerie puts too much pressure on himself to win a major, causing him to freeze at critical moments.
He lost a U.S. Open playoff to Ernie Els in 1994, then finished second at the '95 PGA when Steve Elkington drained a 25-foot putt. At the '97 Masters, Montgomerie played in Saturday's final pairing with Tiger Woods, only to have Tiger best him by nine shots that day. After a second-round 67 at the '98 PGA, Montgomerie followed with a 77.
His waning confidence with the flatstick may be why the six-time winner of Europe's Order of Merit hasn't cracked the winner's circle in the United States. Still, this is a talented, qualified golfer, with three wins a year ago and a tie for eighth at last year's Masters.
``For eight years I've been coming to America, and I haven't had a tremendous putting tournament,'' he said. ``When Elkington beat me in the playoff at the PGA (at Riviera in 1995) he had 13 less putts than me. Mark O'Meara had 17 less putts than me, and he beat me by six in the Masters.
``I've always been able to hit the ball. I fell out of the cradle doing that. That's not the problem. The problem is getting the ball in the damn hole. I probably don't feel as comfortable in America doing it as I do back home in Europe. Why, I'm not quite sure.''
His block is more psychological than physical. On putting greens across the world, Montgomerie becomes a machine, draining most of his practice putts. Being so efficient in practice only worsens the aggravation when he falters in money time.
For more than a year Montgomerie has consulted with putting guru Dave Pelz, and Pelz assures his fickle pupil that his form is among the best he has seen.
``Dave isn't going to fix my problems,'' Montgomerie said. ``It's not that, it's that they're not going in. You can practice and practice and practice, but if they're not going to go in, it doesn't matter.
``You can't score better than 71 unless you play perfectly with 33 putts. Sixty-nine's your absolute limit. You struggle to score if you don't hole putts.''
At the Honda last month, Montgomerie needed 33 putts the first three rounds, 32 the final. At Bay Hill, it was 33-31-35-32.
``I just have to be patient,'' he said. ``It's a horrible word and horrible thing to try and achieve, patience, but that's what I've got to be.''
Montgomerie's greatest challenger to European supremacy comes from Westwood, the 25-year-old Englishman with seven wins a year ago -- four in Europe, two in Japan and at New Orleans.
Westwood's greatest moment in 1999, though, came away from the golf course. He married Laurae Coltart, sister of PGA European Tour pro Andrew, in January.
The newlywed took almost two months off before resuming his competitive run at Bay Hill last month.
``My nuptials have been my foremost concern,'' Westwood said, speaking of his honeymoon in Bermuda. ``I think my time away as allowed me to get more rounded.''
It was at the Masters a year ago that Gary Player chided the round Englishman to slim his physique. Westwood took Player's words to heart, losing close to 20 pounds in the following months.
Westwood emerged as a pre-tournament favorite a year ago, but when he teed off with Player on Sunday, he was first off. Westwood eked under the cut, then slogged in with a final-round 78 to finish 44th.
``It was a disappointment because I had come into the Masters playing so well,'' he said of his three consecutive top-15s, including his win the week before at New Orleans.
``I think that's a place where I can have some success. It's just being confident in myself to do so.''
Chip shots: Colin Montgomerie
Montgomerie lost more than 40 pounds in two years, though the British press describe his weight as the common cold, meaning it comes and goes.
Chip shots: Lee Westwood
Westwood's grandmother is an avid gambler who likes to place legal wagers on her grandson.
Pair of bright stars lead British invasion 