The K Club outside Dublin has been very kind to Colin Montgomerie during his recent trips there. Sunday, he beat Niclas Fasth by one shot to capture the Smurfit Kappa European Open for his first win since December 2005, passing Nick Faldo for third place on the European Tour's all-time victories list. Back in September, it was on the club's 18th green of the Palmer Course that Monty cleaned up two points for the 2006 European Ryder Cup team. Despite his stellar play on the big stage, Montgomerie's stroke-play record had up until Sunday been looking grim.
Rain certainly played a part in deciding the outcome. An 82-minute delay postponed Fasth from playing his final hole, which he eventually parred. In its tournament report, the Irish Independent writer wrote that: "It's fitting that what [Montgomerie] described as the longest 'dry spell' of his career should end at one of the wettest-ever tournaments. A week by the Liffey was so wet that caddies might have been well advised to carry a snorkel and flippers in the bag."
A switch back to a belly putter certainly helped Montgomerie. He only used it 26 times during his final round 65, well below his 29.6 average this year.
Luck was on Monty's side too. "He more than flirted with water on the two closing par threes," wrote Paul Gallagher in The Irish Times, "but came away with pars. On the 17th his effort came up short but somehow his ball defied gravity to stay dry. Credit to Monty, for he took advantage by pitching to two feet and holing for par. The makeshift 18th was almost a carbon copy as he leaked his tee shot right and the ball rested behind the red hazard line. Still, he was able to get his lob wedge to the ball -- without grounding it as he was technically in a hazard - and pitched up to five feet before courageously holing-out."
-- Jeff Patterson
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