Monty: Talented but temperamental?

More than anything, I hope he shows some respect and compassion for those who have helped him achieve the heights he has reached in a glorious golfing career - a career that by the looks of last Sunday, has some golden moments still to come.

Ewen Murray on Colin Montgomerie.
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I said last week that Colin Montgomerie has been written off before and has then come back and surprised many.

In France, Montgomerie found top gear again, and with his second place finish at Le Golf National, he has forced his way back into the Ryder reckoning.

Monty never fails to amaze. His golf last week was sublime, the Colin of old.

When he is on form, he is hugely impressive. He has the look of someone who holds the club with the lightest of grip pressure and his swing is poetry in motion. When the heat is at its highest level, his nerve is at its calmest and his putting is assured.

If Colin had an on-course temperament to match his off-course demeanour, he would have won six Majors by now.

When Nick Faldo felt the heat down the closing stretch, he saw and heard nothing, such was his focus on what he was trying to achieve.

Colin spends too much time looking for something to complain about and sadly for him, he usually finds it.

Talent

Over the years, I have watched with admiration the talent of Montgomerie.

The arrow-like precision off the tee, iron shots hit and, as if guided by radar, landing by the pin, and pressure putts falling at the correct speed to find the bottom of the hole.

He has upped the quality of European Tour golf, continually improving as the years pass by. Others have had to do the same to hang on to his coat-tails.

His excellence has done much for the next generation because he has set such exacting targets and over his twenty years as a professional, his superb natural ability has graced many of our fine tournaments.

I would like to leave it there because as a lover of great golf, Colin has given me hours of enjoyment. Sadly, I cannot condone his behaviour.

For someone who is wonderful company away from the sport, I cannot explain why his manners are so poor on the course.

In France on Sunday, a young lad got it in the ear for daring to breathe twenty yards from the burly Scot. He retreated to his dad's side close to tears.

Last week we were guests of the French people at one of our Tour's oldest events. Marshalls continually receive a blast, yet they give their time for the love of their sport and do a fine job.

Spectators who pay good money to watch their hobby played well, are often in the Monty firing line.

Having joined the European Tour at the start in 1971, I can think of no other player who has behaved in the same fashion down the years.

Excuses

Colin may say it's the competitiveness in him and it's part of his will to win.

Well, Jack, Arnie, Lee and Tom were competitive, but they had a respect for all who were part of the game and for the tournaments they played in across the world.

Tiger Woods would never blame anyone but himself for poor shots - excuses are not in his repertoire.

I know we are all different and thank goodness we are or it would be a dull world, but I think Colin's manners, or lack of them, have stopped him being mentioned in the same breath as those above.

I hope he wins a major, makes the Ryder Cup for the ninth time, wins the order of merit for the ninth time and so on, because his game deserves it.

But more than anything, I hope he shows some respect and compassion for those who have helped and supported him, enabling him to achieve the heights he has reached in what has been a glorious golfing career - a career that by the looks of last Sunday, has some golden moments still to come.

Revelation

The winner in Versailles was a revelation.

Pablo Larrazabal lit up the event with some scintillating golf reminiscent of Seve in the Seventies.

Now it is much too early to say he can go on to achieve what Ballesteros managed, but he played with that same devil-may-care attitude and a smile was never far from his face.

His golfing life has changed, as has his bank balance, but he deserves it.

Having come through the pre qualifying at Chantilly, his tournament was a six-rounder and the fact he saw off Lee Westwood, Soren Hansen and Colin Montgomerie made this victory sweeter.

The manner in which he won impressed everyone.

Having secured a handsome lead coming into the fearsome last four holes, Pablo ignored the pins and headed for the safe side of the greens. Fifteen feet left at the 15th, 30 feet left at 16 and, understandably, 70 feet left at the last.

Even then, he played them in two under par. You would expect that from a seasoned campaigner, but not from a rookie.

He won beautifully, and we will look forward to his progress in the months ahead. All sorts of doors have opened up for the Spaniard. He now has to make every effort to walk on through them.

Belief

This week, the London Club is the new venue for the European Open.

Designed by Jack Nicklaus, it is a modern lay out that meanders around the Kent countryside. Its tough, long and only precise iron play will be rewarded.

The afore mentioned Colin Montgomerie defends the title he won superbly at the K Club last year and it is another opportunity for Colin to force his way into Nick Faldo's side for Valhalla in September.

As you would expect, one of the strongest fields of the season will compete for another huge purse.

Last week, I was joined in the "box" by Ian Poulter who currently is struggling to find his best form. My opinion is that form is not far away.

The quicker greens of the London Club will suit him and it's only his putting that is holding him back.

His last round 68 in France was just the tonic he needs, and I expect a sound performance from the Englishman. Ian is now home for a lengthy spell and I think that is what he needed.

As I said last week, he looked low in confidence at the US Open. A good showing in Kent will restore his belief and a confident Poulter is always a contender.

Thanks again for your input over the last week and I'm sure you will have your own thoughts on this week's topics.

Enjoy the European Open on Sky Sports - we have over 20 hours of live coverage starting on Thursday.