GOLF: Colin Montgomerie, having said it would be "a shame" if Sandy Lyle was not made Ryder Cup captain for next year's match at Celtic Manor in Wales, is now reported to be a strong contender to deny his fellow Scot.
Montgomerie has been seen as hot favourite for the job at Gleneagles in 2014, but following Tuesday’s tournament committee meeting in Abu Dhabi, there is speculation he may come in as Nick Faldo’s successor if Jose Maria Olazabal wants to wait.
A decision is expected in Dubai in two weeks’ time but leading bookmakers have stopped taking bets. On Betfair, however, Olazabal is odds-on, while Montgomerie is now second favourite.
After a second-round 67 at the Abu Dhabi Championship today he refused to throw light on the matter.
“I don’t know what the situation is,” said Montgomerie, despite being a member of the committee. “It would be an honour to be selected, but we are no further forward with the selection process.
“I will have to let you know if it has been offered or not. At this stage it has not.”
There is a feeling among top players that the captain needs to be someone who is around the Tour.
If the committee agree with that then 50-year-old Lyle is destined to be the one member of Europe’s “Big Five” - himself, Seve Ballesteros, Faldo, Ian Woosnam and Bernhard Langer - not to be captain.
Woosnam, who led the side to victory at the K-Club in 2006, is interested in doing it again on home soil, but he too plays on the Seniors circuit now.
Olazabal, Faldo’s assistant in the defeat in Louisville in September, is considering whether he wants to captain or try to play his way back into the side.
He is still fighting back to health after suffering arthritic problems.
Montgomerie may, of course, be prepared to enter into an agreement where he is on stand-by if Olazabal does want to give himself every chance to earn another cap.
The eight-time European number one’s intention is to regain his place as well, of course, after failing to qualify last year and then being overlooked for a wild card.
