Colin Montgomerie may have made a case last year for the Ryder Cup to be staged over four rather than three days, but he has accepted that next October’s match at Celtic Manor — when he is European captain — will not be changed.

“We’ve spoken about it, but both sides of the Atlantic feel that the Ryder Cup is the Ryder Cup because it’s over three days,” said Montgomerie, in Girona seeking a return to form at the Spanish Open.

“If the weather is inclement we have time to play on Sunday morning before the singles, as we did at Valderrama in 1997.”

Nick Faldo signed off his speech at the closing ceremony in Louisville last September with some advice to spectators planning for the first-ever match on Welsh soil: “Bring your waterproofs.”

Next year’s match is on October 1st-3rd and even in May last year fog delayed the start of the Wales Open.

“There’s a river here and the temperature between rivers and land causes fog,” said Montgomerie at the time. “There could be delays here. We risked it in Ireland and we just got away with it. We just pray that Him upstairs is good to us.”

The big worry next year, of course, will be if there is really bad weather on the Sunday. The match could continue on Monday, but nobody would want that to happen.

Meanwhile, Montgomerie will be requesting an increase in the number of wild cards he has when Europe’s players committee meets in Ireland in two weeks.

America won back the trophy last October after their captain Paul Azinger sought and was given four picks, two more than his predecessors and the number open to Faldo.

“I am one vote, but a more powerful one than I was being the captain,” said Montgomerie. “I will put the case forward.”

He did not reveal how many wild cards he will be asking for — he once said he would like the captain to be able to choose all 12 of the side — but did confirm that he wants a change.