Aug 27, 2008 - 10:35 PM
0 shoutsBy John Nestor PA SportsTicker Golf Editor
Colin Montgomerie might be prepared to work alongside Nick Faldo at the Ryder Cup after all - if, that is, he does not get a captain's pick on Sunday night.
In the space of a few minutes on Wednesday, Montgomerie went from giving the impression that he would not be interested to saying he would help the team any way he could.
"I would certainly think about that decision and anything that would help the European cause, I would be for," Montgomerie said. "I would help in any way, shape or form - potentially, yes."
Previously he had been asked during a press conference at the Johnnie Walker Championship if he would consider a non-playing role and he seemed cool to the idea.
"No - I'd consider getting my game ready to make sure I make it in 2010," he said. "Bernhard Langer did that when he was left out in 1999. He was determined and made sure he was on the team the next time and that would be my goal."
Montgomerie, 45, is competing for a wildcard for this year's event at Valhalla next month with Darren Clarke, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter.
Padraig Harrington, who has won the last two majors and figures to be a force on the European team, feels Clarke is in and Montgomerie has hope.
"I don't see how you couldn't pick (Clarke)," Harrington said Wednesday at the Boston TPC. "He's won twice this year (including last week's KLM Open), his form has been very good in recent weeks and he's played on five Ryder Cups and had four winning teams. And he's a natural partner to Lee Westwood.
"(Montgomerie) has played eight Ryder cups, has never lost a singles match, and he's due a consideration. My opinion is that until he (loses a singles match), maybe he should be given a chance."
TRIVIA QUESTION: Vijay Singh's playoff victory at The Barclay's on Sunday was the eighth of his career and put him sixth on the all-time playoff wins list. At 8-4 in his career in playoffs, who are the five players that Singh trails and how many playoff wins do they have?
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Clarke at the Johnnie Walker Championship regarding his chances of making the European Ryder Cup team. Clarke won last week's European Tour event, the KLM Open, and is expected to be one of captain Nick Faldo's two captain's picks.
"There's not much for me to say about it. No point in me speaking about it. I said last week that I need to play well for two weeks. I played well last week, and I need to do the same again this week. If that warrants me or merits me a pick, then fantastic."
TEE SHOTS: New Zealand 's Danny Lee won the Mark McCormack Medal awarded to the leading player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking following the U.S. Amateur and European Amateur. Lee became the U.S. Amateur's youngest champion Sunday, defeating Drew Kittleson 5 and 4 a month after his 18th birthday. ... Glen Day has a streak of 21 consecutive rounds of par or better going, the longest active streak on tour. ... Sergio Garcia got over his playoff loss to Singh at the Barclays by hitting some balls with fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal at the U.S. Open on Tuesday. ... Despite not playing since the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in June, Tiger Woods is still 15th in the FedEx cup standings. He started the playoffs ranked first.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer are tied for the most playoff wins with 14. Sam Snead is next with 12, followed by Tiger Woods (11) and Tom Watson.
