|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||
|
 Easy does it Thanks to Westwood, pressure eases on Montgomerie
Posted: Wednesday July 15, 1998 05:12 PM
SOUTHPORT, England (AP) -- Maybe the emergence of Lee Westwood will finally allow Colin Montgomerie to be himself in the British Open. And maybe, just maybe, Montgomerie will finally contend in the one tournament that means the most to him. With Westwood his country's best hope for an Open championship, Montgomerie clearly was more relaxed and affable on Wednesday in discussing his chances at Royal Birkdale. His assessment? Pretty good, if he can just figure out a way to stay relaxed. "I have put a little too much pressure on myself in the past," Montgomerie said. "I have learned that I play better golf when I'm relaxed. If I relax and have good rhythm, I'm confident on the first tee." A year has passed since Montgomerie failed miserably on his home course of Royal Troon, shooting 76 in the first round to eliminate himself from contention at a layout where his father is course secretary. Royal Troon was supposed to be where Montgomerie finally won a major. After all, he had come so close in three U.S. Opens and a PGA, losing twice in playoffs. Instead, it was just another disappointment in a tournament where he has missed the cut four of the last six years. "It's human nature to feel more pressure at your own course," Montgomerie said. "Unfortunately, my first round wasn't good but the last three were. But there's less pressure this year than last." Montgomerie has long been burdened with the expectations of the British press and public, who saw him as the only legitimate successor to Nick Faldo as the best hope of a country starved for sports heroes. He himself raised the expectations with a remarkable level of play that won him the last five money titles on the European tour and helped him to a No. 5 world ranking. But at 35 he still has no major titles. And Montgomerie seems to be getting a bit more desperate as the years go by, particularly at home. "I'm a British golfer and this is the British Open," Montgomerie said. "Obviously, it's the most important title for a British golfer. This would be the pinnacle of anyone's career." With the 25-year-old Westwood having been made a co-favorite along with Tiger Woods by British bookies on the strength of seven wins in the last nine months, Montgomerie doesn't have to contend with the excruciating pressure he found himself under last year at Troon. That may be why he took such a low key approach this year, waiting until late Tuesday to come to Southport. He played only two nine-hole practice rounds in preparation for Birkdale. "I've tried not to put too much pressure on myself," he said. "I came in here playing OK. I'm obviously looking forward to the challenge of it all." If Montgomerie is going to compete at Birkdale, he'll have to avoid the big first round that has been his undoing in most of his eight Opens. He's never broken par in the first round, even in 1994 when his eighth-place finish was his best in an Open. Part of his problem is a fierce temper that tends to flare with each missed putt or misplaced shot. "I used to get upset with myself as I knew I could do better," he said. "I just have to accept the bad with the good, and I am doing that as I get older." One thing that does figure to go Montgomerie's way is the home gallery. That's in contrast to the U.S. Open last month where Montgomerie was disturbed by hecklers. "That's behind us now," he said. "I'm looking forward to this weekend and the support of the British crowd."
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 1999 CNN/SI. A Time Warner Company. Terms under which this service is provided to you.
| |||||||||||||||||||||
