With his win over the Memorial Day weekend at the Senior PGA Championship, Colin Montgomerie finally collected a trophy and the big check in the United States. He also won a major championship, something he was not able to accomplish previously in his 27-year career.
Montgomerie was one of the most prolific winners ever on the European Tour and in eight Ryder Cup appearances compiled a 20-9-7 overall record. He was 6-0-2 and never lost a point in Ryder Cup singles.
His 31 European Tour wins ranks him fourth all time and he was voted the Order of Merit winner on eight different occasions on that tour.
Montgomerie has had issues with American golf fans. He seemed to have rabbit ears and took offense at every negative comment thrown his way, which only added to the abuse he received in the U.S.
He had opportunities to win major championships, but was never able to close the deal. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2013.
The Jack Nicklaus designed Harbor Shores seemed to be the perfect venue for the laser-like iron shots that Monty produced all week. Even though, he is not as long as some of the other players, he is always able to find the fairway from the tee box.
His high soft fades were the perfect prescription to solve the rubik’s cube-like equation that Nicklaus created on the undulating greens at this Benton Harbor, Michigan masterpiece.
Montgomerie was grouped with fellow Hall of Fame members and former Ryder Cup captains, Tom Watson and Bernhard Langer, on Thursday and Friday. He was very happy with the pairing and the three legends were near the top of the leaderboard all four days.
In the Wednesday press conference before the start of the tournament, Montgomerie was quite ebullient. It was evident that he was enjoying the golf course and his surroundings.
Langer and Montgomerie were in the last group off on Sunday. Langer struggled and could only manage a one-under-par 70 which left him tied for third with Jay Haas.
Watson made a run with a final round six-under-par 65, but started too far back and finished four shots behind Monty.
Montgomerie fired his own six-under-par 65 and the win at the Senior PGA Championship moves him up to No. 2 in the Charles Schwab Cup, less than 300 points behind Langer.
With Fred Couples on the bench recuperating a sore back, the Champions Tour could use a good battle between Langer and Montgomerie for the Charles Schwab Cup race. Throw in a streaky Kenny Perry and the rest of the Champions Tour season should be very interesting.