Colin Montgomerie believes he can help Sergio Garcia succeed where both have so far failed - win a major.

Montgomerie, five times a runner-up during his career, saw Garcia's heartbreak when he lost out to Padraig Harrington at Carnoustie last July and thinks it was the Spaniard's mental approach which cost him so dearly.

"He's not played well since and he's better than that," said the Scot. "It was a strategic problem. He was ahead and it's like scoring an early goal in football - do you try to make it 2-0 or protect?"

Garcia was four clear of the field early on the final day, but came to the last only one in front, bogeyed it and then lost over extra holes to Harrington.

"He got caught trying to protect and on a course like Carnoustie it's going to catch you out. In the play-off he hit driver on the last hole and nearly made three, but playing the 72nd hole he didn't and nearly made four.

"It's almost better to be tied going into the final round and, being the open guy he is, I could broach the subject with him if we sat down together."

Helping out somebody who for every week of the year except the Ryder Cup is a rival might appear strange to some, but Montgomerie says it is commonplace in golf.

"It's a strange world, the European Tour. We are very much a family and it's amazing how many professionals help each other.

"To then go out and beat them is a strange thing. Bernhard Langer and Nick Faldo both gave me advice, technical and mental. With Nick it was at the Ryder Cup, how to cope with certain situations, and he was world number one at the time, so God, you listened.

"I could be having dinner with Paul Casey or Padraig Harrington one night and in the last group with them the next day. You never see that in tennis."