Colin Montgomerie's Journal

Entry Date - August 25, 2010

A big week this week, we are in Scotland for the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles as well as the announcement of my three picks for the Ryder Cup team on Sunday evening. Gleneagles is a special place, five minutes from home for me. It will be a interesting week, obviously there’s one eye on what I'm doing myself and one eye very firmly on what's happening to the guys that have an opportunity of making the Ryder Cup Team outright.

The picks this year are a very very difficult task. It’s the most difficult decision any captain has had. No one envies this position. I'll have to leave out world players for the first time, and that's a headache for me, but at the same time a very nice headache to have. I have 20 players that could beat any other player on a given day. And it will be unfortunate that there’s six, eight guys that are going to have to be left out.

I‘ve not made my mind up, it’s impossible to do so because the scenarios might well change, there’s a few guys here with a win that can put them right into qualification places, and also with good form at the right time here. There is no way that my mind has been made up as to the three selections for Sunday. Yes, I have an idea, but that might well change, so I’ve got to flexible.

Away from the Ryder Cup last week away from the course I had some corporate days, one for AAM at Archerfield, a Golf School at Turnberry and a members Golf Day and Dinner at Skibo Castle.

Next week is another important week, I will be visiting a Maggies Centre on behalf of my charity, the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation, and a cricket dinner at Lords.

As always thank you for your good luck messages, they are greatly appreciated.

Colin

PS If you want to be one of the first to hear who my 3 wild card picks are for the Ryder Cup then follow the online coverage of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles by clicking 'attend' on the event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=151000344915941&ref=mf

Entry Date - July 20, 2010

Today I announced my vice captains for the Ryder Cup. Any winning team has fantastic support behind the scenes, and I am delighted that my choice of Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley are experienced, passionate and well-respected people, people committed to regaining the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

I am delighted to have them by my side as we head to Wales and I know they will be of invaluable assistance to me and everyone associated with the Team as we aim to regain The Ryder Cup.

With the depth and strength of European golf at the moment, I can pick two teams that can beat each other on any given day. Let's just say I'm having good headaches, and plenty of them. Last month we had a European winner at the US Open and last week at The Open we nearly had a European winner, many congratulations however must go to Louis Oosthuizen who proved a worthy champion.

It was probably my last Open at St Andrews, I'll be 52 when it goes back there. My performance at St Andrews didn’t take long to analyse. I didn’t putt well. The belly putter was lucky it lasted a day, but it doesn’t matter what implement is used it unfortunately it’s the person using it who is to blame.

Entry Date - July 13, 2010

This week we are at St Andrews for the 150th Open Championship, a very special place. After qualifying at Sunningdale last month I’m delighted to be back at St Andrews. Last time The Open was held here in 2005 I finished 2nd, the same year I won the Dunhill Links Championship, so it’s a course I enjoy.

Away from the golf course it’s a busy week, tonight is the Annual Golf Writers Dinner which is always an entertaining evening and during the week I will be doing some commentary for ESPN.

I tee off on Thursday at 2.20pm with Phil Mickelson and Retief Goosen and 9.09am on Friday.

I’m looking forward to a great week.

Colin

Entry Date - July 6, 2010

At the beginning of last week I was in Germany for the 2010 Schüco Open at the Golf Club Teutoburger Wald. Playing against other Schüco brand ambassadors including Martin Kaymer, Bernhard Langer, Grégory Havret, Geoff Ogilvy and Miguel Ángel Jiménez I managed to fire a new course record of 67 to win.

Unfortuntely I couldn’t carry the good form through to the weekend, and missed the cut at The French Open. Very many congratulations to Miguel Angel though for winning and moving from 17th to fifth in The Ryder Cup race.

I am now back in Scotland for the next couple of weeks, the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond this week, a tournament I was proud to win in 1999 and then onto St Andrews. The Open at St Andrews is always very special, especially as last time it was held at St Andrews, I came 2nd

Best wishes

Entry Date - June 22, 2010

This week I am in Germany for the BMW International Open at Golfclub München Eichenried, a tournament I won back in 1999.

Today I am taking part in a junior event at the course with a Press conference with BMW on Thursday.

It was a magnificent performance by Graeme McDowell on Sunday. He holed so many key putts - especially a crucial one on the 8th for par and was very impressive throughout the week. He showed great strength of character in getting the job done in such superb fashion. He is a world class player and obviously I am delighted to have a 2010 Major winner in my team this year. All credit to Graeme to be the first European player in over 40 years to win the US Open. Nick, Bernhard and myself came close but none of us achieved what he has. This is great for British golf and also the European Tour. Golf salutes him.

Entry Date - June 8, 2010

Congratulations to Graeme McDowell and Justin Rose, super wins on Sunday for both of them. It's a fantastic time for European golf with Justin winning so well and three great results at Celtic Manor, with Rhys Davies second and Luke Donald third.

The Twenty Ten Course went down very well. I think it stacks up tee to green as one of the best courses we play right now and I am not the only person who is saying that. I have read the reports from other top players and they feel the same way. It's fabulous tee to green. The changes that have been done not just by myself but by European Golf Design have been fantastic and have proved worthy. It's a great test of golf and people are enjoying playing the course.

From Celtic Manor I headed up to Sunningdale yesterday, for The Open qualifying. I really wanted to qualify, the last time The Open was at St Andrews in 2005 I finished runner-up to world number one Tiger Woods. After my first round on the Old I was -1, however eight birdies on the New course in the afternoon and I equalled the course record with a 62. My best round of golf for a long time. I finished the day tied second with Andrew Coltart and took one of the 10 places up for grabs. I said to my caddie I'll be 47 this year and this will probably be my last opportunity to play The Open at St Andrews. It's a special place no question and I'm just glad the opportunity has been taken.

Today I have a Golf Day at The Grove for HSBC Premier Network and the fly out to Zurich for golf day on Wednesday with AAM guests.

Best wishes
Colin

Entry Date - June 3, 2010

Another busy week on and off the course. I’m at Celtic Manor this week for the Celtic Manor Wales Open. As well as participating in the tournament I’ve a lot of off course commitments.

On Tuesday I visited Newport Library, taking the Ryder Cup into the local community I read Harry exerts of Harry Potter to local school children, a fun event. That evening we had the Celtic Manor Wales Open Gala Dinner.

Yesterday, Wednesday, was Pro-Am day which gave me an opportunity to have a look at the course close up. One of my playing partners was Gareth Edwards, who is the honorary Captain of Celtic Manor. We had a super round, the weather was glorious, and there was a lot of support from the local galleries. It was good to see Ross McMurray from European Golf Design, who designed the Twenty Ten Course out on the course too.

Later in the afternoon I had some media commitments followed by a Ryder Cup Press Conference. It is all very busy, but I am enjoying every minute.

Today and tomorrow I’m playing with Alvaro Quiros and Oliver Wilson, the weather is superb and it promises to be a great week.

Best wishes
Colin

Entry Date - May 18, 2010

It’s a busy, busy time at the moment, but I’m not complaining. Last week I was fund-raising for my foundation, The Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation. We are now looking to fund a Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen Football Club chairman Stewart Milne, very kindly held a charity auction at his home in Bieldside. We have had the golf day at Deeside and there was an auction at Stewart Milne’s house. He erected a marquee and there were some wonderful prizes available. We have had great support from business in the north-east. A lot of people have been affected by cancer – it affects one in three people – so it is something we are all concerned about. It was a fantastic kick-start for the Aberdeen project.

At the weekend I was at Stoke Park for GolfLive. This was a new event held over three days where along with Paul Casey, Retief Goosen and Ian Poulter we held clinics, demonstrations and a celebrity 3 hole challenge. It was great to meet so many fans and interact with them.

This week is the flagship event on the European Tour, the BMW PGA Championship, a tournament I won 3 times in a row, 1998, 1999 and 2000. It’s a busy week off the course as well, this afternoon I’ll be doing a Q&A session for BMW guests and this evening is the Tour’s Annual Dinner. Tomorrow I’m playing in the Pro-Am with the chef Jason Atherton and Vernon Kay and Jeremy Kyle.

The tournament begins on Thursday and then on Monday I’m off to Walton Heath for US Open Qualifying, Busy, but I’m not complaining.

Best wishes

Entry Date - May 5, 2010

This week I am in Turn for the BMW Italian Open. It’s a tournament I have never won, in 1992 at MonticelloI made a final day charge with a closing 66 but finished second to Sandy Lyle, then in 2003 another final day round of 65 at Gardagolf in Brescia saw me finish second again. I’m very much looking forward to returning to play the BMW Italian Open it’s one of my favourite weeks of the year and I think that my record shows I have performed consistently over the years in the tournament. The only thing missing from my visits is a victory and I have said many times that I want to stand in front of my Team at Celtic Manor as a tournament winner in 2010. I will be going all out to achieve that goal this week.

The Pro-Am due to be played today was washed out, so hopefully the weather will improve for the first round tomorrow. I’ll play the first two rounds with Matteo Manassero, who is making his professional debut in his home county, at the age of 17!!

On the subject of players a lot younger than myself, it was a super performance by Rory McIlroy at the weekend, he can only go from strength to strength.

Best wishes
Colin

Entry Date - April 28, 2010

After a week in China playing the Volvo Open and then visiting one of my design projects Imperial Springs in China it's back to the European Tour this week. Though getting back from China wasn’t straightforward, I went via Dubai and then thanks to the Iceland volcano I spent longer in Dubai than I had planned.

This week I am playing The Open de España at Real Club de Golf de Sevilla, it's one of the longest running tournaments on The European Tour and an event I won back in 1994. It's a tournament I enjoy playing in and it’s good to be back on European soil.

As some of you may know I have a charitable foundation, The Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation, in memory of my late mother. I am now running an auction on this website as well as the foundation website of some signed memorabilia, please take a look as more items will be added in the coming weeks and months. Here is the link http://integrated.imgecommerce.com/colin.htm

Kind regards

Colin