Colin Montgomerie eyes ninth Order of Merit

Not content with winning eight European Order of Merit crowns, Colin Montgomerie has his sights set on winning the Senior Tour Order of Merit title as well. A win at Woburn this week, where he defends the Travis Perkins Masters, would seal that achievement.

The 2010 European Ryder Cup captain has enjoyed a superb season so far, winning the US Senior PGA Championship and the US Senior Open. The Scotsman also finished runner up to Bernhard Langer in the Senior Open Championship at by Royal Porthcawl last month.

Those performances have given the 51-year-old a commanding lead in the race to win the John Jacobs Trophy – the Order of Merit prize – and with the majors over for another year, Monty is focused on winning his ninth Order of Merit.

“With the amount of money you can earn in the majors, it has put me in a very good position to win the John Jacobs Trophy,” said Montgomerie.

“To have won the Order of Merit on the Junior Tour, as I call it now, was great so it would be fantastic to do it now on the Senior Tour.”

“People say when you turn 50 you start a new chapter and it is true.” – Colin Montgomerie

If Colin Montgomerie was to win the championship, and the John Jacobs Trophy, he would join Ian Woosnam as the only man to win both the European Tour Order and Senior Tour Order of Merit.

“People say when you turn 50 you start a new chapter and it is true. I’m thoroughly enjoying it and this is a great week to continue what has been a wonderful season so far.

“It would be fantastic to defend the title and if doing so helps my bid to win the Order of Merit, then that’s even better.”

Colin Montgomerie at home on Dukes Course

Montgomerie will certainly have good memories to draw upon over the Duke’s Course at Woburn, having claimed his maiden victory as a senior golfer by an impressive six strokes there 12 months ago.

“I’ve fantastic memories from last year,” he said. “It was the first time I had won a senior event of any category.  It was super to come here, to a course which people said suited me, and win. The competition was very good and I think it will be even better this year.

“There are two or three places that are special to in Britain: Wentworth, Sunningdale and Woburn. Halfway round that Duke’s Course, it’s just a lovely place to be.

“The crowds are massive here each year. We had more than 23,000 last year which was fantastic, and a record for an event on the Senior Tour. Let’s hope they come out again this year and give us the support this event deserves.”