Colin Montgomerie
Encyclopedia
Colin Stuart Montgomerie, OBE
(born 23 June 1963) is a Scottish
professional golfer
, often referred to by one of his nicknames 'Monty'. He has had one of the finest careers in European Tour history, having won a record eight Order of Merit titles, including a streak of seven consecutively from 1993 to 1999, and 31 European tour victories, placing him fourth on the all time list
. He is renowned also for his superb Ryder Cup
performances. Montgomerie also has the dubious distinction of being one of the most accomplished players never to have won a major championship
, after finishing runner-up on five occasions. Nor has he won an official tournament on the U.S. PGA Tour
, unlike several of his main European rivals. His career high world ranking is second.
, England, where his father James was Managing Director of Fox's Biscuits. Montgomerie spent a number of years at the Ilkley Golf Club, where he was tutored by the past professional Bill Ferguson. He was educated at both Leeds Grammar School
and Strathallan School
, Perthshire
. During his time in Leeds, he became a supporter of , but still remains a loyal supporter of Glasgow Rangers. His father later became the secretary of Royal Troon Golf Club
, one of Scotland's most famous clubs. Montgomerie became one of the first British golfers to go to a United States college, attending Houston Baptist University
, where he played on the golf team and became its top player. In later years, many top young British golfers (including Graeme McDowell
and Luke Donald
) would follow Monty's path to United States universities.
He won three important Scottish amateur tournaments – the 1983 Scottish Youths Championship, the 1985 Scottish Stroke Play Championship, and the 1987 Scottish Amateur Championship. He also played for Scotland twice in the Eisenhower Trophy
(1984 and 1986) and for Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup
twice (1985 and 1987).
Between the years 1988–1991 Montgomerie completed a degree in Accountancy
at the University of Stirling
.
debut in 1991. He finished first on the European Tour Order of Merit every year from 1993 to 1999 (a record for most consecutive Orders of Merit), and has 31 victories on the tour, including the 1998, 1999, and 2000 European PGA Championships. He first reached the top-10 in the Official World Golf Rankings
in 1994, and spent almost 400 weeks in the top-10. His highest ranking was number two. In his prime Montgomerie was considered one of the best drivers of the golf ball in the world and became a very precise iron player, often able to judge the distance he hit the ball exactly from long range.
His form fell away gradually in the new millennium, partly due to marriage problems, and his ranking slumped to 82nd in the world, but he came back strongly in 2005, winning a record eighth European Tour Order of Merit and returning to the top ten in the World Rankings. Late in 2005 he became the first man to win 20 million Euros on the European Tour—topping the European Tour's all-time highest earners list. He remained the leader in career earnings on the European Tour until 2010, when he was surpassed by Ernie Els
.
At the end of 2004, Montgomerie was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
in the New Year's Honours
. He represents the Turnberry
resort in Scotland, where there is a Colin Montgomerie Golf Academy.
. With his new caddie, Craig Connoly, Montgomerie managed to win for the first time in nearly 2 years at the European Open in July 2007, silencing the critics who have asserted he would not win again.
However his form has once again deserted him, and in mid-2008 Montgomerie slipped out of the top 100 players in the world ranking system. A second place at the French Open in June boosted him back up the rankings, but his good play has been short-lived, and as a result Montgomerie failed to qualify for Nick Faldo
's 2008 Ryder Cup team.
In March 2009, Montgomerie played in his milestone 500th European Tour event at the Open de Andalucia where he played well and made the cut, but was not a factor on the weekend.
After nearly two years without a top-10 finish, Montgomerie produced something like his form of old to post a final round of 68 for a share of 7th place in the 2011 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Montgomerie attributed his resurgence to improved driving accuracy and commented that he could contend more often if this were to continue.
was the first of these. He was prematurely congratulated by Jack Nicklaus
who said "Congratulations on your first U.S. Open victory" to Monty after he finished the 18th hole on Sunday. Tom Kite
, who was still on the golf course when Montgomerie finished, wound up winning the championship.
At the 1994 U.S. Open, played at Oakmont Country Club
, Montgomerie lost in a three-man playoff
to Ernie Els (a playoff which also included Loren Roberts). Famously, Montgomerie was left with only one shirt to play in during the Monday playoff, a dark tartan design, which did not help his cause in the very hot playing conditions. He shot 78 to trail the 74s shot by Els and Roberts, with Els eventually winning at the 20th extra hole.
At the 1995 PGA Championship
, Montgomerie birdied the final three holes of the Riviera Country Club
course in the final round, to tie Steve Elkington
at 17 under par, which was a record low score in a major championship. On the first sudden-death playoff hole, after being in better position after two shots, Montgomerie missed his putt, while Elkington holed from 35 feet to claim the title.
Ernie Els once again got the better of Montgomerie at the 1997 U.S. Open, played at Congressional Country Club
. Montgomerie opened the tournament with a 65 but shot a 76 in the second round. A bogey on the 71st hole dropped Montgomerie one shot behind Els, who parred the last to win.
At the 2006 U.S. Open, played on the West course of the Winged Foot Golf Club
, Montgomerie had yet another chance to win his first major championshipt. He stood in the middle of the 18th fairway in the final round having sunk a 50-foot birdie putt on the 17th green, which put him in the lead. While waiting in position on the 18th fairway for the group in front to finish, Montgomerie switched his club from a 6-iron to a 7-iron, assuming adrenaline would kick in. Once the wait was over, he hit the approach shot poorly, ending up short and right of the green, in thick rough. He pitched onto the green, and then three-putted from 30 feet to lose the tournament by one stroke. After the loss, Montgomerie said, "At my age I've got to think positively. I'm 43 next week, and it's nice I can come back to this tournament and do well again, and I look forward to coming back here again next year and trying another U.S. Open
disaster." Geoff Ogilvy
won the championship.
Montgomerie's best finish in the Masters Tournament came in 1998
when he finished tied for 8th.
At The Open Championship
, it is only in recent years that Montgomerie has shown signs of challenging to win. He started brightly in 2001 at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club
, with an opening 65, and still remained ahead after 36 holes, but fell away over the weekend. He was also in contention with two rounds to play at Muirfield in 2002 and Royal Troon Golf Club
in 2004, but failed to capitalise and finished midway down the field. His best finish in the Championship came in 2005
at St Andrews
, where he finished second to Tiger Woods
, who beat him by five shots.
Despite his disappointments in the majors, Montgomerie is heralded as one of the greatest Ryder Cup players of all time. To date he has been a member of the European team on eight occasions, and has never lost in a singles match. He holds a win-lose-draw record of 20–9–7, thus giving him a total points scored tally of 23.5, only 1.5 points behind the all time record held by Nick Faldo
. He has played pivotal roles in several of the matches. He halved the last hole with Scott Hoch
to obtain the half point that won Europe the cup in 1997
, and sank the winning putt, in what is considered to be his finest hour in the 2004
staging of the event.
Montgomerie was not part of Nick Faldo's 2008 Ryder Cup team, with the wildcards going to Paul Casey
and Ian Poulter.
Montgomerie captained the Great Britain & Ireland team in the first four stagings of the Seve Trophy
, losing in 2000 but winning in 2002, 2003, and 2005.
On 28 January 2009, it was announced that Montgomerie would be the captain the European team at the 2010 Ryder Cup
at Celtic Manor. On 4 October 2010, Montgomerie led the European team to victory, 14½ to 13½. On the same day he also announced that he would be stepping down as captain of the European Team. In December 2010, he accepted the BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year award as captain of the victorious Ryder Cup team.
Montgomerie has also been the playing captain of the European team in the Royal Trophy
, played against a team from Asia. Europe was successful on both those occasions.
Montgomerie has the distinction of being the only person to have been a victorious player and captain in the Ryder Cup, Seve Trophy and Royal Trophy – the three main team golf competitions open to players from Europe.
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Montgomerie has often come under fire for his attitude on the golf course. He is noted for his lack of focus, and quite often becomes distracted by seemingly very minor incidents. As a result, it is quite commonplace for Montgomerie to ask scorers, marshalls, television crew and members of the crowd to move or be silent during a round of golf. Compared to many of the other best players of his generation, this is quite unusual behaviour, as most other professionals tend to ignore these occurrences.
Due partly to his slumped shoulders, and droopy walking style, and wearing baggy trousers, Montgomerie has also developed a reputation for being miserable on the golf course. When he is not playing his best golf, Montgomerie has down the years been quick to throw temper tantrums, often blaming those around him for his poor play. Despite this, Montgomerie has become one of golfing public's most popular figures, and remains the fan favourite at the Open Championship, especially when it is held in Scotland.
Montgomerie's struggle to get on with the American galleries is often cited as perhaps the reason he has failed to match his success in Europe with success in the United States.
, when he was a good amateur and she was a promotions assistant. Eimear was a 17-year-old law student at Edinburgh University and a spectator at an amateur championship in Nairn, at which Montgomerie destroyed the field. The couple had three children (Olivia, Venetia, and Cameron), and lived in Oxshott
in Surrey.
In 2002, Eimear gave Montgomerie an ultimatum to choose between golf and marriage, resulting in Montgomerie spending 10 weeks alone before they agreed to try again. In 2006, the couple finally broke up, with Eimear suing for divorce on grounds of unreasonable behavior due to his obsession with golf, claiming it left her suffering from anxiety
and depression. In February 2006, following strong but denied rumours that she had grown close to actor Hugh Grant
, the couple agreed to a clean break divorce settlement of £8 million, in return for Eimear giving up any claim on Montgomerie's future earnings.
Since the divorce, he has had various relationships, including Spanish model Ines Sastre
, and a divorced neighbour Jo Baldwin whom he met on the school run. Their split, he suggested, caused his worst run in his professional career.
In 2007 Montgomerie announced his engagement to Scottish millionaire Gaynor Knowles. They married on 19 April 2008 at Loch Lomond Golf Club.
On 8 July 2010, Montgomerie was granted a super injunction by Mr Justice Eady
, which came to light when he attended a press conference at the 2010 PGA Championship
in Wisconsin.
Montgomerie has been defended twice by celebrity driving solicitor Nick Freeman
. The first time Montgomerie was acquitted when the policeman who was said to have caught him travelling at 96 mph on the A3 near Esher, Surrey (a 70 mph road) at 12:50 am failed to attend court, making it impossible to prove that Montgomerie was driving. Freeman got him off a second time from a 56 day ban in November 2008, after Montgomerie was caught driving his Bentley Continental Flying Spur
and failing to pay the fine. Freeman revealed that Montgomerie hated flying, and drove 55,000 miles per annum in part to see his Surrey based children from his Scottish base.
* Montgomerie and Langer agreed to share the 2002 Volvo Masters Andalucia, after failing light caused play to halt after two holes of a playoff.
Montgomerie also came first in the Volvo Bonus Pool every year from 1993 to 1998. The Volvo Bonus Pool was an extra tranche of prize money awarded at the end of each European Tour season from 1988 to 1998 to the regular members of the tour who had had the best performances over the season.
DNP = did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
DQ = disqualified
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10.
1Cancelled due to 9/11
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied
NT = No Tournament
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Professional
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 23 June 1963) is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
, often referred to by one of his nicknames 'Monty'. He has had one of the finest careers in European Tour history, having won a record eight Order of Merit titles, including a streak of seven consecutively from 1993 to 1999, and 31 European tour victories, placing him fourth on the all time list
Golfers with most European Tour wins
This is a list of golfers who have won eight or more events on the European Tour since it was established in 1972. There are some complications in preparing such a list, and different publications have produced different numbers...
. He is renowned also for his superb Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
performances. Montgomerie also has the dubious distinction of being one of the most accomplished players never to have won a major championship
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
, after finishing runner-up on five occasions. Nor has he won an official tournament on the U.S. PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
, unlike several of his main European rivals. His career high world ranking is second.
Early life
Although Scottish by birth and ethnicity, he was raised in YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England, where his father James was Managing Director of Fox's Biscuits. Montgomerie spent a number of years at the Ilkley Golf Club, where he was tutored by the past professional Bill Ferguson. He was educated at both Leeds Grammar School
Leeds Grammar School
Leeds Grammar School was an independent school in Leeds established in 1552. In August 2005 it merged with Leeds Girls' High School to form The Grammar School at Leeds. The two schools physically united in September 2008....
and Strathallan School
Strathallan School
Strathallan School is an independent boarding and day school in Scotland for boys and girls aged 9–18. The school has a campus at Forgandenny, a few miles south of Perth. It typically takes 50 minutes to travel to the school from Edinburgh and 1:15 hours from Glasgow.The school has 99 full time...
, Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
. During his time in Leeds, he became a supporter of , but still remains a loyal supporter of Glasgow Rangers. His father later became the secretary of Royal Troon Golf Club
Royal Troon Golf Club
Royal Troon Golf Club is a links golf course located in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The club was founded in 1878, initially with five holes. Its Old Course is now one of the host courses for The Open Championship, one of the major championships on the PGA Tour and European Tour...
, one of Scotland's most famous clubs. Montgomerie became one of the first British golfers to go to a United States college, attending Houston Baptist University
Houston Baptist University
Houston Baptist University is a private Baptist institution founded in 1960. It is located in Greater Sharpstown in Houston, Texas near the Southwest Freeway.- History :...
, where he played on the golf team and became its top player. In later years, many top young British golfers (including Graeme McDowell
Graeme McDowell
Graeme McDowell MBE is a Northern Irish professional golfer.McDowell has won seven events on the European Tour, including the 2010 U.S. Open which was also his first win on the PGA Tour...
and Luke Donald
Luke Donald
Luke Campbell Donald is an English professional golfer who is the current World Number One. He plays mainly on the U.S. based PGA Tour but is also a member of the European Tour. In 2006 he reached the top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time in his career. In January 2007, he...
) would follow Monty's path to United States universities.
He won three important Scottish amateur tournaments – the 1983 Scottish Youths Championship, the 1985 Scottish Stroke Play Championship, and the 1987 Scottish Amateur Championship. He also played for Scotland twice in the Eisenhower Trophy
Eisenhower Trophy
The Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
(1984 and 1986) and for Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup
Walker Cup
The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
twice (1985 and 1987).
Between the years 1988–1991 Montgomerie completed a degree in Accountancy
Accountancy
Accountancy is the process of communicating financial information about a business entity to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management; the art lies in...
at the University of Stirling
University of Stirling
The University of Stirling is a campus university founded by Royal charter in 1967, on the Airthrey Estate in Stirling, Scotland.-History and campus development:...
.
Career outline
Montgomerie turned professional in 1988, and was named the Rookie of the Year on the European Tour that season. He quickly developed into one of Europe's top pros, winning his first event at the 1989 Portuguese Open by eight shots, and making his Ryder CupRyder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
debut in 1991. He finished first on the European Tour Order of Merit every year from 1993 to 1999 (a record for most consecutive Orders of Merit), and has 31 victories on the tour, including the 1998, 1999, and 2000 European PGA Championships. He first reached the top-10 in the Official World Golf Rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
in 1994, and spent almost 400 weeks in the top-10. His highest ranking was number two. In his prime Montgomerie was considered one of the best drivers of the golf ball in the world and became a very precise iron player, often able to judge the distance he hit the ball exactly from long range.
His form fell away gradually in the new millennium, partly due to marriage problems, and his ranking slumped to 82nd in the world, but he came back strongly in 2005, winning a record eighth European Tour Order of Merit and returning to the top ten in the World Rankings. Late in 2005 he became the first man to win 20 million Euros on the European Tour—topping the European Tour's all-time highest earners list. He remained the leader in career earnings on the European Tour until 2010, when he was surpassed by Ernie Els
Ernie Els
Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing...
.
At the end of 2004, Montgomerie was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in the New Year's Honours
British honours system
The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals' personal bravery, achievement, or service to the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories...
. He represents the Turnberry
Turnberry
Turnberry is a golf resort on the coast of the outer Firth of Clyde in southwestern Scotland. Located in South Ayrshire on the rugged coast, it comprises three links golf courses, a golf academy, a five-star hotel, designed by James Miller and completed in 1906, as well as lodge and cottage...
resort in Scotland, where there is a Colin Montgomerie Golf Academy.
Current form
After re-forming his partnership with caddie Alastair McLean in 2004, the pair split again on 10 June, a week before the start of the U.S. OpenU.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
. With his new caddie, Craig Connoly, Montgomerie managed to win for the first time in nearly 2 years at the European Open in July 2007, silencing the critics who have asserted he would not win again.
However his form has once again deserted him, and in mid-2008 Montgomerie slipped out of the top 100 players in the world ranking system. A second place at the French Open in June boosted him back up the rankings, but his good play has been short-lived, and as a result Montgomerie failed to qualify for Nick Faldo
Nick Faldo
Sir Nicholas Alexander "Nick" Faldo, MBE is an English professional golfer on the European Tour who now mainly works as an on air golf analyst. Over his career, he has won six majors: three Open Championships and three Masters. He was ranked the World No...
's 2008 Ryder Cup team.
In March 2009, Montgomerie played in his milestone 500th European Tour event at the Open de Andalucia where he played well and made the cut, but was not a factor on the weekend.
After nearly two years without a top-10 finish, Montgomerie produced something like his form of old to post a final round of 68 for a share of 7th place in the 2011 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Montgomerie attributed his resurgence to improved driving accuracy and commented that he could contend more often if this were to continue.
Major championships
Montgomerie is generally considered to be one of the best golfers never to have won a major championship, after finishing in second place on five separate occasions. During what most consider to be his best years in the 1990s Montgomerie had several close shaves. A third place at the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf LinksPebble Beach Golf Links
Pebble Beach Golf Links is a golf course located in Pebble Beach, California, on the west coast of the United States.Pebble Beach is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful courses in the world. It hugs the rugged coastline and has wide open views of Carmel Bay, opening to the Pacific Ocean,...
was the first of these. He was prematurely congratulated by Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
who said "Congratulations on your first U.S. Open victory" to Monty after he finished the 18th hole on Sunday. Tom Kite
Tom Kite
Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994....
, who was still on the golf course when Montgomerie finished, wound up winning the championship.
At the 1994 U.S. Open, played at Oakmont Country Club
Oakmont Country Club
Oakmont Country Club is a country club and the "oldest top-ranked golf course in the U. S.", in the Pittsburgh suburbs of Plum and Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA. The Pennsylvania Turnpike separates the eastern seven holes from the rest of the course....
, Montgomerie lost in a three-man playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
to Ernie Els (a playoff which also included Loren Roberts). Famously, Montgomerie was left with only one shirt to play in during the Monday playoff, a dark tartan design, which did not help his cause in the very hot playing conditions. He shot 78 to trail the 74s shot by Els and Roberts, with Els eventually winning at the 20th extra hole.
At the 1995 PGA Championship
1995 PGA Championship
The 1995 PGA Championship was the 77th PGA Championship held from August 10-13 at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, California. Steve Elkington won his first major championship with a birdie in a sudden death playoff over Colin Montgomerie....
, Montgomerie birdied the final three holes of the Riviera Country Club
Riviera Country Club
The Riviera Country Club is a country club with a championship golf course. It is located in Pacific Palisades, California, a community within the city limits of Los Angeles. The country club opened in 1926, with George C. Thomas, Jr. as the course architect. The course has been the primary host...
course in the final round, to tie Steve Elkington
Steve Elkington
Stephen John Elkington is an Australian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He spent over 50 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings from 1995 to 1998.-Early years and education:...
at 17 under par, which was a record low score in a major championship. On the first sudden-death playoff hole, after being in better position after two shots, Montgomerie missed his putt, while Elkington holed from 35 feet to claim the title.
Ernie Els once again got the better of Montgomerie at the 1997 U.S. Open, played at Congressional Country Club
Congressional Country Club
The Congressional Country Club is a country club and golf course in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Congressional opened in 1924 and has hosted three U.S. Opens and a PGA Championship, and is an annual stop on the PGA Tour, with the AT&T National, hosted by Tiger Woods. The tournament was first...
. Montgomerie opened the tournament with a 65 but shot a 76 in the second round. A bogey on the 71st hole dropped Montgomerie one shot behind Els, who parred the last to win.
At the 2006 U.S. Open, played on the West course of the Winged Foot Golf Club
Winged Foot Golf Club
Winged Foot Golf Club is a 36-hole golf course located in Mamaroneck, New York. The course architect is A. W. Tillinghast, who also designed Baltusrol , Bethpage Black, Shackamaxon Country Club, San Francisco Golf Club, Cedar Crest Park, and nearby Quaker Ridge Golf Club and Wykagyl Country Club...
, Montgomerie had yet another chance to win his first major championshipt. He stood in the middle of the 18th fairway in the final round having sunk a 50-foot birdie putt on the 17th green, which put him in the lead. While waiting in position on the 18th fairway for the group in front to finish, Montgomerie switched his club from a 6-iron to a 7-iron, assuming adrenaline would kick in. Once the wait was over, he hit the approach shot poorly, ending up short and right of the green, in thick rough. He pitched onto the green, and then three-putted from 30 feet to lose the tournament by one stroke. After the loss, Montgomerie said, "At my age I've got to think positively. I'm 43 next week, and it's nice I can come back to this tournament and do well again, and I look forward to coming back here again next year and trying another U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
disaster." Geoff Ogilvy
Geoff Ogilvy
Geoff Charles Ogilvy is an Australian professional golfer. He won the 2006 U.S. Open and has also won three World Golf Championships.-Professional career:...
won the championship.
Montgomerie's best finish in the Masters Tournament came in 1998
1998 Masters Tournament
The 1998 Masters Tournament was the 62nd Masters Tournament held from April 9-12 at Augusta National Golf Club. Mark O'Meara won his first major championship with a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole to defeat David Duval and Fred Couples by one stroke....
when he finished tied for 8th.
At The Open Championship
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
, it is only in recent years that Montgomerie has shown signs of challenging to win. He started brightly in 2001 at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England, is one of the courses in the Open Championship rotation. The Women's British Open has also been played on the course four times: once prior to being designated a major championship by the LPGA Tour, and three times since.The...
, with an opening 65, and still remained ahead after 36 holes, but fell away over the weekend. He was also in contention with two rounds to play at Muirfield in 2002 and Royal Troon Golf Club
Royal Troon Golf Club
Royal Troon Golf Club is a links golf course located in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The club was founded in 1878, initially with five holes. Its Old Course is now one of the host courses for The Open Championship, one of the major championships on the PGA Tour and European Tour...
in 2004, but failed to capitalise and finished midway down the field. His best finish in the Championship came in 2005
2005 Open Championship
The 2005 Open Championship was the 134th Open Championship, played from 14-17 July at The Old Course at St Andrews. Tiger Woods pulled away from Colin Montgomerie for a five shot victory. The win was his second overall and his second at St...
at St Andrews
Old Course at St Andrews
The Old Course at St Andrews is the oldest golf course in the world. The Old Course is a public course over common land in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland and is held in trust by The St Andrews Links Trust under an act of Parliament...
, where he finished second to Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
, who beat him by five shots.
Ryder Cup and other team golf
Nick Faldo
Sir Nicholas Alexander "Nick" Faldo, MBE is an English professional golfer on the European Tour who now mainly works as an on air golf analyst. Over his career, he has won six majors: three Open Championships and three Masters. He was ranked the World No...
. He has played pivotal roles in several of the matches. He halved the last hole with Scott Hoch
Scott Hoch
Scott Mabon Hoch is an American golfer, who represented his country in the Ryder Cup in 1997 and 2002.Hoch was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was a member of the golf team at Wake Forest University before graduating in 1978. He also played on the winning U.S. team in the Eisenhower Trophy...
to obtain the half point that won Europe the cup in 1997
1997 Ryder Cup
The 32nd Ryder Cup Matches were held at the Valderrama Golf Club in Sotogrande, Spain, marking the first time the event was contested in continental Europe.The European team won the competition by a margin of 14½ to 13½ and retained the Cup....
, and sank the winning putt, in what is considered to be his finest hour in the 2004
2004 Ryder Cup
The 35th Ryder Cup Matches were held September 17–19 at the Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Michigan.The European team won the competition by a margin of 18½ to 9½ points, the winning putt being made by Colin Montgomerie, who maintained his record of never losing in any of his...
staging of the event.
Montgomerie was not part of Nick Faldo's 2008 Ryder Cup team, with the wildcards going to Paul Casey
Paul Casey
Paul Alexander Casey is an English golfer who is a member of the world's top two professional golf tours, the U.S.-based PGA Tour and the European Tour. In 2009 he achieved his highest position, third, in the Official World Golf Rankings....
and Ian Poulter.
Montgomerie captained the Great Britain & Ireland team in the first four stagings of the Seve Trophy
Seve Trophy
The Seve Trophy is a biennial golf tournament between teams of professional male golfers representing Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe. It is named after five times major winner Seve Ballesteros, the most successful golfer ever from Continental Europe who was one of the key...
, losing in 2000 but winning in 2002, 2003, and 2005.
On 28 January 2009, it was announced that Montgomerie would be the captain the European team at the 2010 Ryder Cup
2010 Ryder Cup
The 38th Ryder Cup matches were held 2010 at the Celtic Manor Resort in the city of Newport, Wales. It was the first time the competition was staged in Wales. With the USA as the defending Cup holder the event was played on the newly-constructed Twenty 10 course, specifically designed for the...
at Celtic Manor. On 4 October 2010, Montgomerie led the European team to victory, 14½ to 13½. On the same day he also announced that he would be stepping down as captain of the European Team. In December 2010, he accepted the BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year award as captain of the victorious Ryder Cup team.
Montgomerie has also been the playing captain of the European team in the Royal Trophy
Royal Trophy
The Royal Trophy is a men's professional team golf tournament which was played for the first time in January 2006 at the Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi, Thailand. The competing teams represent Europe and Asia. Eight man teams play a series of 16 matches involving foursomes, four-ball and...
, played against a team from Asia. Europe was successful on both those occasions.
Montgomerie has the distinction of being the only person to have been a victorious player and captain in the Ryder Cup, Seve Trophy and Royal Trophy – the three main team golf competitions open to players from Europe.
Relationship with the golfing public
Due partly to his slumped shoulders, and droopy walking style, and wearing baggy trousers, Montgomerie has also developed a reputation for being miserable on the golf course. When he is not playing his best golf, Montgomerie has down the years been quick to throw temper tantrums, often blaming those around him for his poor play. Despite this, Montgomerie has become one of golfing public's most popular figures, and remains the fan favourite at the Open Championship, especially when it is held in Scotland.
Montgomerie's struggle to get on with the American galleries is often cited as perhaps the reason he has failed to match his success in Europe with success in the United States.
Personal life
Montgomerie met his Scottish ex-wife Eimear Wilson, also from TroonTroon
Troon is a town in South Ayrshire. It is situated on the west coast of Scotland, about eight miles north of Ayr and three miles northwest of Glasgow Prestwick International Airport. Lying across the Firth of Clyde, the Isle of Arran can be seen. Troon is also a port with freight and ferry services...
, when he was a good amateur and she was a promotions assistant. Eimear was a 17-year-old law student at Edinburgh University and a spectator at an amateur championship in Nairn, at which Montgomerie destroyed the field. The couple had three children (Olivia, Venetia, and Cameron), and lived in Oxshott
Oxshott
Oxshott is a village in Surrey, England with a growing population of around 6,100. Neighbouring settlements include: Chessington, Claygate and Cobham. It is situated in fields and woodlands between Esher and Leatherhead on the A244, five minutes by car from both the A3 and the M25 London Orbital...
in Surrey.
In 2002, Eimear gave Montgomerie an ultimatum to choose between golf and marriage, resulting in Montgomerie spending 10 weeks alone before they agreed to try again. In 2006, the couple finally broke up, with Eimear suing for divorce on grounds of unreasonable behavior due to his obsession with golf, claiming it left her suffering from anxiety
Anxiety
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...
and depression. In February 2006, following strong but denied rumours that she had grown close to actor Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant
Hugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
, the couple agreed to a clean break divorce settlement of £8 million, in return for Eimear giving up any claim on Montgomerie's future earnings.
Since the divorce, he has had various relationships, including Spanish model Ines Sastre
Inés Sastre
Inés Sastre is a Spanish model and actress.-Early life:Sastre's career started at the age of 12, when she was selected for a fast-food commercial with McDonald's. Her first movie appearance occurred in 1988 in El Dorado by Carlos Saura. In 1989, she was awarded the look of the year by the Elite...
, and a divorced neighbour Jo Baldwin whom he met on the school run. Their split, he suggested, caused his worst run in his professional career.
In 2007 Montgomerie announced his engagement to Scottish millionaire Gaynor Knowles. They married on 19 April 2008 at Loch Lomond Golf Club.
On 8 July 2010, Montgomerie was granted a super injunction by Mr Justice Eady
David Eady
Sir David Eady , styled The Hon. Mr Justice Eady, in legal writing Eady J, is a High Court judge in England and Wales. As a judge he is known for having presided over many high-profile libel and privacy cases....
, which came to light when he attended a press conference at the 2010 PGA Championship
2010 PGA Championship
The 2010 PGA Championship was the 92nd PGA Championship. Martin Kaymer from Germany won for his first major championship, in a three-hole playoff over Bubba Watson. The tournament began on Thursday, August 12, 2010, and concluded on Sunday, August 15. It was played at the Straits Course of the...
in Wisconsin.
Montgomerie has been defended twice by celebrity driving solicitor Nick Freeman
Nick Freeman
Nick Freeman is an English solicitor. Freeman is the owner of Manchester based legal practice Freeman & Co., and is best known as a celebrity defence lawyer, specialising in traffic and speeding offences.He has been nicknamed "Mr...
. The first time Montgomerie was acquitted when the policeman who was said to have caught him travelling at 96 mph on the A3 near Esher, Surrey (a 70 mph road) at 12:50 am failed to attend court, making it impossible to prove that Montgomerie was driving. Freeman got him off a second time from a 56 day ban in November 2008, after Montgomerie was caught driving his Bentley Continental Flying Spur
Bentley Continental Flying Spur (2005)
The Bentley Continental Flying Spur is a four-door variant of the Bentley Continental GT coupé. The Bentley Continental Flying Spur was introduced in 2005....
and failing to pay the fine. Freeman revealed that Montgomerie hated flying, and drove 55,000 miles per annum in part to see his Surrey based children from his Scottish base.
Amateur wins (3)
- 1985 Scottish Stroke Play Championship
- 1987 Scottish Amateur Championship
European Tour wins (31)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 Oct 1989 1989 European Tour The 1989 European Tour was the eighteenth official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour. It marked the tour's first visit to Asia, with the inaugural Karl Litten Desert Classic.... |
Portuguese Open - TPC | 11 strokes |  Rodger DavisRodger Davis Rodger Miles Davis is an Australian professional golfer.Davis was born in Sydney. He turned professional in 1974 and spent his regular career playing mainly on the PGA Tour of Australasia and the European Tour. He won the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit in 1990 and 1991... ,  Manuel Moreno, Mike Smith |
|
| 2 | 4 Aug 1991 1991 European Tour The 1991 European Tour was the twentieth official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour.The Order of Merit was won by Spain's Seve Ballesteros.-Schedule:... |
Scandinavian Masters | 1 stroke | Seve Ballesteros |
|
| 3 | 25 Jul 1993 1993 European Tour The 1993 European Tour was the 22nd official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour.The Order of Merit was won by Scotland's Colin Montgomerie.-Schedule:... |
Heineken Dutch Open | 1 stroke |  José CóceresJosé Cóceres José Eusebio Cóceres is an Argentine golfer who spent many years on the European Tour and is now a member of the U.S.-based PGA Tour.... ,  Jean van de Velde |
|
| 4 | 7 Nov 1993 | Volvo Masters Volvo Masters The Volvo Masters was the concluding official money event of the European Tour season until 2009, when it was replaced by the Dubai World Championship... |
1 stroke |  Darren ClarkeDarren Clarke Darren Christopher Clarke is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who currently plays on the European Tour and has previously played on the PGA Tour. He has won 22 tournaments worldwide on a number of golf's main tours including the European Tour, the PGA Tour, the Sunshine Tour and the... |
|
| 5 | 15 May 1994 1994 European Tour The 1994 European Tour was the 23rd official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour.The Order of Merit was won by Scotland's Colin Montgomerie.-Schedule:... |
Peugeot Open de Espana | 1 stroke |  Richard BoxallRichard Boxall Richard Boxall is an English professional golfer.-Golf career:Boxall turned professional in 1982 and won a place on the European Tour at that year's final qualifying school. He played on the Tour until 2000, and won one Tour event, the 1990 Lancia Martini Italian Open... ,  Mark McNultyMark McNulty Mark William McNulty is an Irish/Zimbabwean professional golfer currently playing on the Champions Tour. He was one of the leading players on the European Tour from the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s, and cracked the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 83 weeks from 1987 to 1992.McNulty... , Mark RoeMark Roe Mark Adrian Roe is an English professional golfer, best known for being disqualified from the 2003 Open Championship for a scorecard error.... |
|
| 6 | 21 Aug 1994 | Murphy's English Open | 1 stroke | Barry Lane Barry Lane Barry Lane is an English professional golfer.Lane was born in Hayes, Middlesex. He turned professional in 1976 and first played on the European Tour in 1982. For the first few seasons he failed to finish high enough on the Order of Merit to retain his card and he made several visits to the... |
|
| 7 | 28 Aug 1994 | Volvo German Open | 1 stroke |  Bernhard LangerBernhard Langer Bernhard Langer is a German professional golfer. He is a two-time Masters champion, and was one of the world's leading golfers throughout the 1980s and 90s, being the first official number one ranked player in 1986... |
|
| 8 | 27 Aug 1995 1995 European Tour The 1995 European Tour was the 24th official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour.The Order of Merit was won by Scotland's Colin Montgomerie.-Schedule:... |
Volvo German Open | 1 stroke |  Niclas FasthNiclas Fasth Niclas Fasth is a Swedish professional golfer.Fasth was born in Gothenburg. He turned professional in 1993 and won three events on the second tier European Challenge Tour that year. Since 1994 he has been a member of the European Tour for every season except for 1999. He qualified for the U.S... ,  Sam TorranceSam Torrance Sam Torrance OBE is a Scottish professional golfer and sports commentator. He was one of the leading players on the European Tour from the mid 1970s to the late 1990s, with 21 Tour wins. Torrance was a member of European Ryder Cup teams on eight occasions, from 1981 to 1995 consecutively; he was... |
|
| 9 | 10 Sep 1995 | Trophée Lancôme Trophée Lancôme The Trophée Lancôme was a professional golf tournament which was staged in France from 1970 to 2003.Gaëtan Mourgue D'Algue, a French golf enthusiast from Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche, hoped to popularize the then little-known sport of Golf in France during the early 1960s... |
1 stroke | Sam Torrance Sam Torrance Sam Torrance OBE is a Scottish professional golfer and sports commentator. He was one of the leading players on the European Tour from the mid 1970s to the late 1990s, with 21 Tour wins. Torrance was a member of European Ryder Cup teams on eight occasions, from 1981 to 1995 consecutively; he was... |
|
| 10 | 17 Mar 1996 1996 European Tour The 1996 European Tour was the 25th official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour.The Order of Merit was won by Scotland's Colin Montgomerie.-Schedule:... |
Dubai Desert Classic Dubai Desert Classic The Dubai Desert Classic is an annual professional golf tournament which takes place in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. It has been part of the European Tour schedule since its inauguration in 1989, and was the first European Tour event to be staged in the Middle East... |
1 stroke | Miguel Ángel Jiménez Miguel Angel Jiménez Miguel Ángel Jiménez Rodríguez is a Spanish professional golfer. He has won 18 times on the European Tour.-Early years:... |
|
| 11 | 7 Jul 1996 | Murphy's Irish Open | 1 stroke | Andrew Oldcorn Andrew Oldcorn Andrew Oldcorn is a British professional golfer.Oldcorn was born in Bolton, Lancashire, England. He was raised in Edinburgh, and represents Scotland. He won the English Amateur in 1982 and turned professional after playing for Great Britain & Ireland in the 1983 Walker Cup.Oldcorn won the European... , Wayne RileyWayne Riley Wayne Riley is an Australian professional golfer.Riley was born in Sydney. He turned professional in 1977, and started out on the PGA Tour of Australasia... |
|
| 12 | 8 Sep 1996 | Canon European Masters | 4 strokes | Sam Torrance Sam Torrance Sam Torrance OBE is a Scottish professional golfer and sports commentator. He was one of the leading players on the European Tour from the mid 1970s to the late 1990s, with 21 Tour wins. Torrance was a member of European Ryder Cup teams on eight occasions, from 1981 to 1995 consecutively; he was... |
|
| 13 | 8 Jun 1997 1997 European Tour The 1997 European Tour was the 26th official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour.The Order of Merit was won by Scotland's Colin Montgomerie.-Schedule:... |
Compaq European Grand Prix | 5 strokes |  Retief GoosenRetief Goosen Retief Goosen is a South African professional golfer who has been in the top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings for over 250 weeks between 2001 and 2007. His main achievements have been two U.S... |
|
| 14 | 6 Jul 1997 | Murphy's Irish Open | 7 strokes | Lee Westwood Lee Westwood Lee John Westwood OBE is an English professional golfer. Noted for his consistency, Westwood is one of the few golfers who has won tournaments on every major continent, including victories on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He was named player of the year for the 1998, 2000, and 2009 seasons... |
|
| 15 | 25 May 1998 1998 European Tour The 1998 European Tour was the 27th official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour.The Order of Merit was won by Scotland's Colin Montgomerie.-Schedule:... |
Volvo PGA Championship | 1 stroke | Ernie Els Ernie Els Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing... , Gary OrrGary Orr Gary Hamish Orr is a Scottish professional golfer.Orr was born in Helensburgh, Scotland. He turned professional in 1988 and became a member of the European Tour in 1993. His two wins on the Tour both came in 2000, at the Algarve Portuguese Open and the Victor Chandler British Masters... , Patrik SjölandPatrik Sjöland Patrik Sjöland is a Swedish professional golfer.Sjöland was born in Borås. He turned professional in 1990 and after several season on the second tier Challenge Tour, graduated to the European Tour for the start of the 1996 season... |
|
| 16 | 13 Sep 1998 | One 2 One British Masters | 1 stroke | Pierre Fulke Pierre Fulke Pierre Olof Fulke is a Swedish professional golfer who played on the European Tour.Fulke was born in Nyköping. He turned professional in 1989.... , Eduardo RomeroEduardo Romero Eduardo Alejandro Romero is an Argentine professional golfer.Romero was born in Córdoba. He turned professional in 1982 at a relatively advanced age... |
|
| 17 | 27 Sep 1998 | Linde German Masters | 1 stroke | Robert Karlsson Robert Karlsson Robert Karlsson is a Swedish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour and as of 2011 on the PGA Tour.-Career:... ,  Vijay SinghVijay Singh Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008... |
|
| 18 | 16 May 1999 1999 European Tour The 1999 European Tour was the 28th official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour.The Order of Merit was won by Scotland's Colin Montgomerie.-Schedule:... |
Benson & Hedges International Open Benson & Hedges International Open The Benson & Hedges International Open was a men's professional golf tournament which was played in England. It was founded in 1971 and for its first five years it was called the Benson & Hedges Festival of Golf. It was sponsored by Benson & Hedges, a cigarette company... |
3 strokes | Ángel Cabrera Angel Cabrera Ángel Cabrera is an Argentine professional golfer who plays on both the European Tour and PGA Tour. He is known affectionately as "El Pato" in Spanish or in English as "The duck" for his waddling gait. He is a former U.S. Open champion and Masters champion. He is the first Argentine to win either... , Per-Ulrik JohanssonPer-Ulrik Johansson Per-Ulrik Johansson is a Swedish golfer. Like many European golfers he took a golf scholarship in the United States as sports scholarships do not exist in Europe... |
|
| 19 | 31 May 1999 | Volvo PGA Championship | 5 strokes | Mark James |
|
| 20 | 10 Jul 1999 | Standard Life Loch Lomond | 3 strokes | Sergio García Sergio García Sergio García Fernández is a Spanish professional golfer who plays on both the United States PGA Tour and the European Tour. He has spent much of his career in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings... , Michael JonzonMichael Jonzon Michael Jonzon is a Swedish professional golfer.Jonzon was born in Skara, Sweden. He turned professional in 1991 and has spent most of his career on the European Tour and the Challenge Tour... , Mats LannerMats Lanner Mats Lanner is a Swedish golfer.Lanner was born in Gothenburg. He turned professional in 1981 and qualified for the European Tour on his first visit to Qualifying School. He was a member of the European Tour until 2001, with just a couple of breaks when he failed to retain his card, and his best... |
|
| 21 | 8 Aug 1999 | Volvo Scandinavian Masters | 9 strokes | Jesper Parnevik Jesper Parnevik Jesper Bo Parnevik is a Swedish professional golfer. He spent 38 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings in 2000 and 2001.-Early years:... |
|
| 22 | 22 Aug 1999 | BMW International Open BMW International Open The BMW International Open is an annual men's professional golf tournament on the European Tour. Founded in 1989, it has always been held in and around BMW's home city of Munich, Germany, and since 1997 has been played at the Golfclub München Eichenried.... |
3 strokes |  Pádraig HarringtonPadraig Harrington Pádraig P. Harrington is an Irish professional golfer who plays on The European Tour and The PGA Tour. He has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship, also in 2008.-Background:... |
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| 23 | 7 May 2000 2000 European Tour The 2000 European Tour was the 29th official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour.The Order of Merit was won by England's Lee Westwood who won six times during the season to end Colin Montgomerie's seven year reign as Europe's number one.... |
Novotel Perrier Open de France | 2 strokes | Jonathan Lomas Jonathan Lomas Jonathan Lomas is an English professional golfer.Lomas was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. He turned professional in 1988. He won three times on the second tier Challenge Tour in 1992 and 1993 and was named as the European Tour's Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year in 1994.Lomas' best season on... |
|
| 24 | 29 May 2000 | Volvo PGA Championship | 3 strokes | Darren Clarke Darren Clarke Darren Christopher Clarke is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who currently plays on the European Tour and has previously played on the PGA Tour. He has won 22 tournaments worldwide on a number of golf's main tours including the European Tour, the PGA Tour, the Sunshine Tour and the... , Andrew ColtartAndrew Coltart Andrew John Coltart is a Scottish professional golfer.-Junior and amateur:Coltart was born in Dumfries. As an amateur, he won the 1987 Scottish Boys Championship and the 1991 Scottish Amateur Stroke Play Championship, and participated in the 1991 Walker Cup.-Professional:Coltart turned... , Lee WestwoodLee Westwood Lee John Westwood OBE is an English professional golfer. Noted for his consistency, Westwood is one of the few golfers who has won tournaments on every major continent, including victories on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He was named player of the year for the 1998, 2000, and 2009 seasons... |
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| 25 | 1 Jun 2001 2001 European Tour The 2001 European Tour was the 30th official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour.The Order of Merit was won by South Africa's Retief Goosen.-Schedule:... |
Murphy's Irish Open | 5 strokes | Darren Clarke Darren Clarke Darren Christopher Clarke is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who currently plays on the European Tour and has previously played on the PGA Tour. He has won 22 tournaments worldwide on a number of golf's main tours including the European Tour, the PGA Tour, the Sunshine Tour and the... , Niclas FasthNiclas Fasth Niclas Fasth is a Swedish professional golfer.Fasth was born in Gothenburg. He turned professional in 1993 and won three events on the second tier European Challenge Tour that year. Since 1994 he has been a member of the European Tour for every season except for 1999. He qualified for the U.S... , Pádraig HarringtonPadraig Harrington Pádraig P. Harrington is an Irish professional golfer who plays on The European Tour and The PGA Tour. He has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship, also in 2008.-Background:... |
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| 26 | 5 Aug 2001 | Volvo Scandinavian Masters | 1 stroke | Ian Poulter Ian Poulter Ian James Poulter is an English professional golfer who is a member of the world's top two professional golf tours, the U.S.-based PGA Tour and the European Tour. He has previously been as high as number five in the world rankings... , Lee WestwoodLee Westwood Lee John Westwood OBE is an English professional golfer. Noted for his consistency, Westwood is one of the few golfers who has won tournaments on every major continent, including victories on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He was named player of the year for the 1998, 2000, and 2009 seasons... |
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| 27 | 10 Nov 2002 2002 European Tour The 2002 European Tour was the 31st season of golf tournaments since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2002 season consisted of 45 official money events, which included the four major championships and three World Golf Championships which were also sanctioned by the PGA Tour... |
Volvo Masters Andalucia | Shared* | Bernhard Langer Bernhard Langer Bernhard Langer is a German professional golfer. He is a two-time Masters champion, and was one of the world's leading golfers throughout the 1980s and 90s, being the first official number one ranked player in 1986... |
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| 28 | 21 Mar 2004 2004 European Tour The 2004 European Tour was the 33rd golf season since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2004 season consisted of 45 official money events. This included four major championships and three World Golf Championships, which were also sanctioned by the PGA Tour... |
Caltex Masters | 3 strokes | Gregory Hanrahan |
|
| 29 | 2 Oct 2005 2005 European Tour The 2005 European Tour was the 34th golf season since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2005 season consisted of 47 official money events, which was a new record total. This included four major championships and three World Golf Championships, which were also sanctioned by the PGA Tour... |
Dunhill Links Championship Dunhill Links Championship The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, is one of the richest golf tournaments on the European Tour. It is played in October, on three different links courses, centred around the "home of golf", St Andrews in Fife, Scotland.... |
1 stroke | Kenneth Ferrie Kenneth Ferrie Kenneth Ferrie is an English professional golfer.Ferrie was born in Ashington, Northumberland. He won the British Boys Championship in 1996 and made his first appearance in a European Tour event that year as an invitee at his local event, the Slaley Hall Northumberland Challenge... |
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| 30 | 4 Dec 2005 2006 European Tour The 2006 European Tour was the 35th golf season since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2006 season consisted of 47 official money events, equalling the record set the previous year. This included seven major championships and World Golf Championships, which are also sanctioned by the... |
UBS Hong Kong Open | 1 stroke |  K.J. ChoiChoi Kyung-Ju Choi Kyung-Ju , also known as K. J. Choi. is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour. Since turning pro in 1994, he has won a total of eighteen professional golf tournaments worldwide, including eight on the PGA Tour, making him Asia's most successful golfer. His... , James KingstonJames Kingston James Hubert Kingston is a South African professional golfer.Kingston was born in Ottosdal, South Africa. He turned professional in 1988, and is currently a member of the European Tour and the Sunshine Tour... ,  Lin Keng-chiLin Keng-chi Lin Keng-chi is a Taiwanese professional golfer.Lin has won five tournaments on the Asian Tour and topped the Tour's money list in 1995. He has also played extensively on the Japan Golf Tour, where he had won three titles. In 2001 he reached the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings... , Edward Loar, Thammanoon SrirotThammanoon Srirot Thammanoon Srirot is a Thai professional golfer who plays on the Asian Tour. He has five Asian Tour wins and was one of the first ten men to reach one million dollars in Asian Tour career earnings... |
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| 31 | 8 Jul 2007 2007 European Tour The 2007 European Tour was the 36th golf season since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2007 season consisted of 52 official money events, breaking the record of the previous year. This included seven major championships and World Golf Championships, which are also sanctioned by the... |
Smurfit Kappa European Open | 1 stroke | Niclas Fasth Niclas Fasth Niclas Fasth is a Swedish professional golfer.Fasth was born in Gothenburg. He turned professional in 1993 and won three events on the second tier European Challenge Tour that year. Since 1994 he has been a member of the European Tour for every season except for 1999. He qualified for the U.S... |
Montgomerie also came first in the Volvo Bonus Pool every year from 1993 to 1998. The Volvo Bonus Pool was an extra tranche of prize money awarded at the end of each European Tour season from 1988 to 1998 to the regular members of the tour who had had the best performances over the season.
Other wins (9)
- 1996 Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge (South Africa – unofficial event)
- 1997 Andersen Consulting World Championship of GolfAndersen Consulting World Championship of GolfThe Andersen Consulting World Championship of Golf was a 32-man match play golf tournament played from 1995 to 1998. It was the predecessor tournament to the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship....
, King Hassan II Trophy (Morocco) - 1999 Cisco World Match Play Championship (United Kingdom – not an official money event at that time.)
- 2000 Skins GameSkins GameA skins game is a type of scoring for various sports, most notably golf but also for curling and bowling.-LG Skins Game:There was an annual skins game for male professional golfers which takes place in November or December each year after the end of the official PGA Tour season. It is recognized by...
(United States) - 2001 Ericsson Masters (Australia)
- 2002 TCL ClassicTCL ClassicThe TCL Classic was a men's professional golf tournament which was played on a course designed by American Robert Trent Jones, Jr. at Yalong Bay Golf Club in Sanya on Hainan Island, People's Republic of China four times between 2002 and 2007....
(China) - 2003 Macau OpenMacau OpenThe Macau Open was a men's professional golf tournament on the Asian Tour which took place in Macau. It was founded in 1998. The venue was the Macau Golf & Country Club at Coloane. The best known golfer who won the tournament is eight-time European Tour Order of Merit champion Colin Montgomerie...
(China) - 2007 Omega Mission Hills World Cup (with Marc WarrenMarc Warren (golfer)Marc Warren is a Scottish professional golfer.Warren was born in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire. As an amateur he was a member of East Kilbride Golf Club, and he was awarded honorary life membership of the club in February 2002...
)
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | T37 | T52 | CUT | T17 | T39 | T30 | T8 | T11 |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | 3 | T33 | 2 | T28 | T10 | 2 | T18 | T15 |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
T48 | T26 | CUT | CUT | T8 | CUT | CUT | T24 | CUT | T15 |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | T33 | CUT | T36 | 2 | CUT | T13 | T44 | T6 |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T19 | CUT | T14 | CUT | CUT | DNP | CUT | CUT | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
T46 | T52 | CUT | T42 | DNP | T42 | T2 | CUT | CUT | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
T26 | T13 | 82 | WD | T25 | 2 | CUT | CUT | T58 | CUT |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
T39 | DQ | CUT | CUT | 70 | CUT | CUT | T42 | CUT | CUT |
| Tournament | 2010 |
|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
T68 |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
CUT |
DNP = did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
DQ = disqualified
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10.
Summary of performances
- Starts – 72
- Wins – 0
- 2nd place finishes – 5
- Top 3 finishes – 6
- Top 5 finishes – 6
- Top 10 finishes – 10
- Longest streak of top-10s in majors – 2
Results in World Golf Championship events
| Tournament | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accenture Match Play Championship WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is one of the annual World Golf Championships. It is a knockout event and is staged in January or February each year... |
R64 | R32 | DNP | R64 | R64 | R16 | DNP | R32 | R32 | R16 |
| CA Championship WGC-CA Championship The WGC-Cadillac Championship is one of the four annual World Golf Championships tournaments for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
T20 | T25 | NT1 | T31 | T51 | DNP | T3 | T41 | T55 | T65 |
| Bridgestone Invitational WGC-Bridgestone Invitational The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour... |
T30 | T8 | 4 | WD | T23 | T58 | T9 | DNP | T41 | 77 |
1Cancelled due to 9/11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
DNP = Did not play
WD = Withdrew
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied
NT = No Tournament
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Team appearances
Amateur- Walker CupWalker CupThe Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...
: (representing Great Britain & Ireland) 1985, 1987 - Eisenhower TrophyEisenhower TrophyThe Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
: (representing Scotland) 1984, 1986 - St Andrews TrophySt Andrews TrophyThe St Andrews Trophy is a biennial men's team golf tournament contested between teams of amateur golfers representing Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe. It takes its name from St Andrews in Scotland, which is colloquially known as the "Home of Golf". The competition was founded in...
: 1986 (winners)
Professional
- Ryder CupRyder CupThe Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
(representing Europe): 19911991 Ryder CupThe 29th Ryder Cup Matches were held on The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.The United States team won the competition by 14½ to 13½ points, winning back the Cup when Germany's Bernhard Langer missed a six foot putt on the 18th hole of the final match, a...
, 19931993 Ryder CupThe 30th Ryder Cup Matches were held at The Belfry in Wishaw, Warwickshire, England . The United States team won the competition by a margin of 15 to 13 points.-Format:...
, 19951995 Ryder CupThe 31st Ryder Cup Matches were held at the Oak Hill Country Club in Pittsford, New York.The European team won the competition by a margin of 14½ to 13½ points to win back the Cup.-Format:The Ryder Cup is a match play event, with each match worth one point...
(winners), 19971997 Ryder CupThe 32nd Ryder Cup Matches were held at the Valderrama Golf Club in Sotogrande, Spain, marking the first time the event was contested in continental Europe.The European team won the competition by a margin of 14½ to 13½ and retained the Cup....
(winners), 19991999 Ryder CupThe 33rd Ryder Cup Matches, also known as the "Battle of Brookline", were held between September 24–26 at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts....
, 20022002 Ryder CupThe 34th Ryder Cup Matches were held between 27–29 September 2002, on the Brabazon Course at The Belfry in Wishaw, Warwickshire, England ....
(winners), 20042004 Ryder CupThe 35th Ryder Cup Matches were held September 17–19 at the Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Michigan.The European team won the competition by a margin of 18½ to 9½ points, the winning putt being made by Colin Montgomerie, who maintained his record of never losing in any of his...
(winners), 20062006 Ryder CupThe 36th Ryder Cup Matches were held 22–24 September 2006 at the K Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare, Ireland. Team Europe won the competition by a score of 18½ to 9½ points, equalling their record winning margin of 2 years earlier. This was the first time Europe had achieved three successive victories...
(winners), 20102010 Ryder CupThe 38th Ryder Cup matches were held 2010 at the Celtic Manor Resort in the city of Newport, Wales. It was the first time the competition was staged in Wales. With the USA as the defending Cup holder the event was played on the newly-constructed Twenty 10 course, specifically designed for the...
(non-playing captain, winners) - Alfred Dunhill CupAlfred Dunhill CupThe Alfred Dunhill Cup was a team golf tournament which ran from 1985 to 2000. It was for three man teams of professional golfers, one team representing each country, and was promoted as the "World Team Championship". It was a "special approved event" on the European Tour, which means that it was...
(representing Scotland): 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 (winners), 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000 - World Cup (representing Scotland): 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997 (individual winner), 1998, 1999, 2006, 20072007 OMEGA Mission Hills World CupThe 2007 Omega Mission Hills World Cup took place from November 22 to November 25 at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China. It was the 53rd World Cup. 28 countries competed and each country sent two players. The team purse is $5,000,000 with $1,600,000 going to the winner. The individual purse...
(winners), 20082008 Omega Mission Hills World CupThe 2008 Omega Mission Hills World Cup took place from November 27 to November 30 at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China. It was the 54th World Cup. 28 countries competed and each country sent two players. The team purse was $5,000,000 with $1,600,000 going to the winner. The Swedish team of... - Four Tours World Championship: 1991 (winners)
- Seve TrophySeve TrophyThe Seve Trophy is a biennial golf tournament between teams of professional male golfers representing Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe. It is named after five times major winner Seve Ballesteros, the most successful golfer ever from Continental Europe who was one of the key...
(representing Great Britain & Ireland team): 2000 (playing captain), 2002 (playing captain, winners), 2003 (playing captain, winners), 20052005 Seve TrophyThe 2005 Seve Trophy took place between 22-25 September at Wynyard Golf Club, in North East England. The team captain for Great Britain and Ireland was Colin Montgomerie, with the captain for Continental Europe being José María Olazábal. The overall tournament host was Seve Ballesteros as he was...
(playing captain, winners), 20072007 Seve TrophyThe 2007 Seve Trophy took place between 27-30 September at The Heritage Golf & Spa Resort in the Republic of Ireland. The team captain for Great Britain and Ireland was Nick Faldo, with the captain for Continental Europe being Seve Ballesteros...
(winners) - UBS CupUBS CupThe UBS Cup was a team golf tournament contested by the United States and a team representing the "Rest of the World" which ran from 2001 to 2004. Six golfers on each side had to be 50 or over, and the remaining six had to be in their forties. It was sanctioned by the PGA Tour and the European...
(representing the rest of the world): 2003, 2004 - Royal TrophyRoyal TrophyThe Royal Trophy is a men's professional team golf tournament which was played for the first time in January 2006 at the Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi, Thailand. The competing teams represent Europe and Asia. Eight man teams play a series of 16 matches involving foursomes, four-ball and...
(representing Europe): 20102010 Royal TrophyThe 2010 Royal Trophy was the fourth edition of The Royal Trophy, a team golf event contested between teams representing Asia and Europe. It was held from 8–10 January at the Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand...
(playing captain, winners), 20112011 Royal TrophyThe 2011 Royal Trophy was the fifth edition of the Royal Trophy, a team golf event contested between teams representing Asia and Europe. It is being held from 7–9 January at the Black Mountain Golf Club in Thailand...
(playing captain, winners)