Time was when Colin Montgomerie would approach this fortnight in the calendar with pressure mounting and expectation fevered.
By virtue of his qualification for his “home” Open at Royal Troon next week, the 53-year-old’s back playing both weeks of high season in Europe for the first time since 2010. But although he believes he’s playing as well as ever, the expectation is next to nil.
“I think I am still competitive and want to prove that, yes,” he agreed as he arrived to play at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. “17 years (since he won in this week at the Loch Lomond event which was “retrospectively” recognised as a Scottish Open) is too long for a Scottish winner. Hopefully the younger guys can put that right this week, but probably not me.
“That has changed, no question. Back in the 90s, I was going to The Open to win it and I used to come here thinking I could win the Scottish Open.
“But you’ve got to be realistic and realise that if I finish in the Top 10 here, it’s a hell of a performance. And then I would have got in The Open anyway (after the strain of Final Qualifying last week).”
His expectations for next week are similarly modest by his previous standards.
“Next week’s goal is to be there on Sunday,” he said. “I would love to try and make the cut, it’s 70 and ties so you’ll get half the field making the cut and I would love to be in that top half, whatever that might be.
“Of course if Thursday and Friday happen to go extremely well, that goal might change…”
Only on links courses, or links-style like Castle Stuart, does Monty think he can really compete with the big hitters of the main tours.
“I’d prefer the fairways to be slightly narrower here, it’s a second-shot course but there’s a big difference to hitting a wedge or 9-iron to somebody going for the middle of the green with a 6-iron,” he pointed out.
“But the links‑style course suits someone of my age that doesn’t hit the ball as far. I hit the ball as far as I did in the 90s, 275. Technology has kept me where I am.
“That’s my average now on the Champions Tour but that’s not average on the Tour anymore. I’m 20, 30 yards back now, and that’s a lot.
“The courses are getting too long for me, but three weeks in a row here, at Troon, and of course, Carnoustie in the Senior Open give an opportunity, as the ball hits the ground and goes a little bit further.”
And he knows it’s still possible – if rare – for one of the over 50s to win.
“I saw Vijay Singh finished second at Congressional this year, he’s slightly older than I am,” he said. “Miguel (Angel Jimenez) won in his 50s, that was tremendous achievement.
“As I say, not on the likes of a course like Augusta or a U.S. Open‑style course, but on these types of courses, the older generation has more of an opportunity.”
