‘It does my head in!’ Colin Montgomerie blasts Open stars – and he wants penalties dished out
Former Open runner-up Colin Montgomerie is exasperated with one issue at Royal Birkdale…
The scourge of slow play is wearing thin at this 154th Open Championship. Just ask Colin Montgomerie.
The European Tour legend and one-time Open runner-up is enthralled by the test the world’s best players are facing at a burned out Royal Birkdale.
But he’s also exasperated by just how long it is taking for the 156-player field to complete their rounds. Some on Thursday clocked in at almost six hours, with two reachable par fives down the closing stretch adding even more time on to arduous rounds.
“Christ almighty, last night was it 5 hours 40?” Montgomerie says.
“How has it got to that stage? How has it got to that? TV hates it, spectators hate it.”
Tyrrell Hatton was out in Thursday morning’s marquee group with Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler and was asked about the issue.
“It felt slow,” he said. “To be honest, the conditions that we played in today were perfect, weren’t they? So in that sense, I don’t know if the golf course can, I don’t want to say play any easier, it’s still challenging out there.”
Montgomerie has a few reasons for the glacial pace – but is concerned there is no deterrent in the place for the worst offenders.
“It’s too long a chat between the caddie and the player,” Montgomerie added. “My god, it goes on forever. The book comes out. How many times have they got the bloody book out? Once that ball is placed on the green it should not be marked again to get the line on the ball.
“Then this business about aim point. Oh my god, don’t talk to me about that. Oh god, it does my head in. Lee Trevino here in 1971. He finished 14 under and he did it in three balls in less than four hours. How do we get back to that? Yes, they say there’s a deterrent for slow play they say there’s a huge deterrent for slow play. Was anybody, was anybody penalised yesterday? No.
“Something’s got to be done.”
Colin Montgomerie was talking to TG as an ambassador for Loch Lomond Whiskies.
