GOLF: Colin Montgomerie is giving American golf fans what looks like one last chance to be nice to him. Two weeks ago the seven-time European number one reacted to heckling in California by saying he was at the end of his tether and after this season would not be returning to the US.
But now, instead of turning his back, Montgomerie has made a U-turn and intends resuming normal service. The next test of how he is treated across the Atlantic comes at the Players' Championship in Florida in a fortnight.
The 38-year-old Scot was to have played in next week's Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando, but his decision to pull out of that, according to his management company, is to allow him to spend time on his course design work in the Middle East following this week's Dubai Desert Classic.
Montgomerie has confirmed that he will not be significantly altering his plans for the US Tour for the rest of the season - or for future years.
"Over the past week the assurances that I have received from the PGA Tour and tournament promoters, coupled with the support I have received via phone calls, letters and e-mails from genuine US golf fans, has convinced me that I should not let a small minority dictate where I should play my golf," he said.
"Reading through the correspondence from the genuine golfing fans that kindly contacted me after the last Ryder Cup and have found the time to contact me in the last few days has reminded me of everything I enjoy about playing in America.
"People may forget that I enjoyed four fabulous years in Houston on a golf scholarship and received enormous support and encouragement from all those I encountered.
"I have so many friends and supporters over there that it would be a pity to let a tiny group sour the great experiences to be had competing on the PGA Tour. I think the issue of my playing schedule has been blown a little out of proportion. I am really looking forward to just focusing on my golf in the upcoming run of tournaments, both in the Middle East and the US."
After trouble against Scott McCarron in the recent World Matchplay championship, he stated: "I'm on my last legs over here. I'm 39 in June and I don't need this any more. It's quite clear to me that there will never be a level playing field when I am playing over here."
EUROPEAN ORDER OF MERIT (after Malaysian Open): 1. J M Olazabal (Spa) €476,125 2. R Goosen (SA) €395,918 3. E Els (SA) €317,201 4. J Sandelin (Swe) €310,733 5. R Johnson (Swe) €239,760 6. A Forsyth (Sco) €221,784 7. A Atwal (Ind) €212,042 8. P Fulke (Swe) €195,998 9. S Garcia (Spa) €188,877 10. S Leaney (Aus) €183,863.
WORLD RANKINGS (US unless stated, previous ranking in brackets): 1. (1) T Woods 13.72 points average 2. (2) P Mickelson 8.87 3. (5) E Els (SA) 7.84 4. (3) D Duval 7.03 5. (4) S Garcia (Spa) 6.73 6. (6) R Goosen (SA) 6.12 7. (7) D Toms 5.97 8. (8) V Singh (Fiji) 5.28 9. (9) D Love 4.96 10. (10) C DiMarco 4.91 Others: 11. (11) P Harrington (Ire) 4.45 15. (15) D Clarke (NIre) 4.21.
GENUITY CHAMPIONSHIP (at Doral, Miami) - Leading final scores (US unless stated, Par 72): 271 - E Els (SA) 66 67 66 72 273 - T Woods 67 70 70 66 277 - P Lonard (Aus) 70 67 70 70 279 - R Beem 69 68 72 70 280 - C Perks 71 68 70 71, A Cabrera (Arg) 72 70 71 67, V Singh (Fij) 66 73 70 71, S Elkington 67 71 74 68, N Price (Zim) 69 69 75 67 281 - J Parnevik (Swe) 71 67 72 71 282 - P Perez 69 69 75 69, P Azinger 69 72 71 70, J Leonard 67 70 72 73 283 - F Funk 68 72 71 72, C Parry 68 72 71 72 284 - I Leggatt (Can) 71 67 73 73, S Allan 66 73 71 74, B Baird 69 66 78 71, M Weir (Can) 70 71 73 70, T Scherrer 71 71 69 73, S Stricker 71 72 73 68, D Toms 67 74 75 68, L Mattiace 70 69 74 71 285 - B Bateman 71 71 74 69, B Crane 71 73 69 72, B Gay 74 70 71 70, S Cink 67 74 74 70, R Damron 68 73 73 71, B Geiberger 69 70 75 71, J Haas 70 70 73 72, S Kendall 67 70 77 71, S Maruyama (Jpn) 67 72 74 72, G Norman (Aus) 71 73 71 70.
