Major deficit Montgomerie says he needs the round of his life to win Click here for more on this story Posted: Saturday July 17, 1999 04:52 PM   Montgomerie was 2-under-par after 14 holes then made three successive bogeys. Ross Kinnaird/Allsport CARNOUSTIE, Scotland (Reuters) -- Colin Montgomerie is no stranger to making great final rounds to clinch titles but he feels that winning the British Open on Sunday would require the best round of his life. Montgomerie played himself to the fringe of contention with a 1-over-par 72 in the third round on Saturday but he is still joint ninth, nine shots adrift of French leader Jean Van de Velde. "If I shoot 67, I'll be plus five and I reckon that can win. If I shoot 67 tomorrow it will be the best round of my life," the 36-year-old Scot said. Europe's number one for the past six years and likely to be so again this year came here on the crest of a wave after his closing 64 earned him the Loch Lomond title last Saturday. He also won this year's British PGA with a closing 64 and took one of his two Irish Open titles in 1996 with a final 62. His third-round 72 was his best round of the week and included a chip-in from the rough at the ninth, but even so he found it disappointing because it could have been better. He was 2-under-par after 14 holes then took three successive bogeys. "We'll see tomorrow. We need something very good and very low early on, perhaps three under at the turn and then play the back nine well," he said. He is also aware he will need help from the leader, who needs to drop back to give the others any say on the difficult Carnoustie layout. "Jean's very good but the one thing we don't know and he doesn't know is how he can cope with the situation now," Montgomerie said. "It's nothing to do with technique and it's nothing to do with golf now. It's what's in his head." Montgomerie, the No. 5 player in the world, has never won a major title, finishing second at two U.S. Opens and second at the U.S. PGA in 1995. He hit one target at Loch Lomond last week when he won for the first time in Scotland. On Sunday he aims at the other -- much bigger -- target.   Related information Stories Van de Velde shoots 70 to stretch lead to five strokes British Notes: About Parry's 67 Payne Stewart slams British Open organizers Duval says he likes Carnoustie despite being 17 over Woods goes into final round seven back of leader Multimedia Click here for the latest audio and video Search our site Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV. Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

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