Monty Seals Major at Senior PGA Championship

Post by Sports Writer Derek Clements

COLIN MONTGOMERIE has waited a long, long time for the redemption that finally came his way in the Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores, Michigan.

He came agonisingly close to winning a major on American soil so many times, but when he turned 50 he headed off to the Champions Tour without a major to his name. He had also failed to win a tournament of any kind in the United States, but left behind a reputation as a player who could be easily riled by the American galleries. David Feherty dubbed him Mrs Doubtfire, and the crowds were happy to follow suit.

But that all changed when he won the Senior PGA, heading off a sensational challenge from Tom Watson, bidding to win the tournament for a third time. Montgomerie began the final round with a one-shot lead. Apart from Watson, he had Bernhard langer breathing down his neck too.

Monty played with Langer on all four days and was vocal in his criticism of the German's pace of play. This would have come as a surprise to Langer since the two have played together many, many times and the Scot would have been only too well aware that Langer is one of the most deliberate players the game has ever seen. Throughout the third round, Montgomerie paced about like a caged animal, puffing his cheeks and shaking his head while waiting for Langer to play.

Langer would have been pleased at the thought that he had managed to get into his playing partner's head so effectively and must have gone into the final round fancying his chances of another win on the Champions Tour.

It was not to be. Monty came racing out the blocks with a birdie at the first and although he dropped a shot at the fourth, he was soon back on the birdie trail.

He picked up shots at the eighth, ninth and 10th, the 12th, the 14th and the 15th to move to 13 under par, four clear of Watson and five in front of Langer.

Watson made a heroic effort to put some pressure on the Scot, reaching the turn in 34 and adding birdies at the 10th, 11th, 13th and 14th holes. But the 64-year-old had started the day four adrift of Montgomerie and had failed to make up any ground on his younger rival.

He finished with a 65 and a 72-hole total of 275 and could only sit and hope that Monty would falter over the closing stretch. It was never going to happen and he parred his way in for a 65 and a four-shot win.

Of course it is not a "proper" major, and Montgomerie knows that only too well, but he will leave Michigan a happy man. And you can bet your bottom dollar on two things - this will not be his last victory in America or his last Senior Major success.

Image Credit: Facebook Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid

Derek Clements is a sports journalist with a particular passion for golf with over 12 years of experience covering golf and other sports including Chief Sub-Editor on the sports desk of The Sunday Times. To contact Derek email direct via [email protected]

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