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'Really disappointing' Montgomerie left with another Open failure
Updated: Sunday July 22, 2001 4:53 PM
LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England (AP) -- Three strokes ahead after the opening round and leader at halfway, Colin Montgomerie appeared on course for the major he has been craving for 13 years. The fact that it was the British Open made this particular bid even more special. But the fans who follow Monty around knew better and, as the 38-year-old Scot walked off the 72nd at Lytham St. Annes on Sunday, the resigned smile told its own story. His lead swallowed up, Monty was unable to hit back as the field swept past him and the smile hid yet another failure. Montgomerie, whose struggle to win the British Open has been a tale of five missed cuts and a best finish a tie for eighth, finished with a 1 over 72 on Sunday for a 4-under total of 280. That left him tied for 13th and six strokes behind championship winner David Duval -- who had beaten him to a first major. "I was just not good enough on the greens," Montgomerie said after his latest flop. "And, when I missed that short putt for birdie on Friday evening, the writing was on the wall. I didn't feel comfortable from thereon in." For much of the 130th championship, it seemed that Monty's moment of glory had come. Shaking off the putting problems that have dogged him all season and generally keeping the ball out of the tall rough and 196 bunkers dotted around the par-71 links course, Montgomerie wore an air of confidence as he strutted from hole to hole. At every birdie or save he mouthed "thank you" to the fans who were willing him on to his first major. But Montgomerie, who has twice lost leads at the U.S. Open, perhaps predicted his own downfall on Thursday. "I have set off well a couple of times and haven't held on to it," he said after his opening-round 65 gave him a three-stroke advantage. By Friday evening with his lead cut to one, he was feeling the pressure. "It's not easy playing from the front like that and having to always look over one's shoulder is never an easy task, especially at an Open," he said. "It's difficult watching everybody's performance and watching the view boards and trying to concentrate on what you are doing yourself. But, at the same time, I am on top and glad to be there." He wasn't for much longer. A 2-over 73 on Saturday meant that Monty was back tied for fifth place just one stroke behind four players fighting for the lead. "I'm not in the lead but that could be beneficial," he said after round three. "I might be more relaxed. I know I can shoot 65 here because I've proved it already. If I can do so again, I have every chance of winning." He didn't. Bogeys at the third and fifth dragged him further out of contention at 3-under while the lead stayed around the 7-under mark. Aiming for a 65, he was seven strokes wide of the mark. "I missed too many putts early on yesterday and early on today and that was the killer," he said. "When I three-putted the third, the writing was on the wall and it was really disappointing."
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