Montgomerie in frame for Ryder Cup captaincy
• Scot emerges as surprise frontrunner
• Olazábal remains committee's first choice
Lawrence Donegan guardian.co.uk, Friday 16 January 2009 02.30 GMT


Follow the money, is never a bad rule and in the search to uncover the identity of Europe's next Ryder Cup captain it seems that more than a few pounds and pennies now lead to Colin Montgomerie. The Scot was the subject of a significant shift in on-line betting exchanges raising speculation the he is being lined up to take on the task of winning back the trophy lost at Valhalla golf club in Kentucky last autumn. Monty woke up yesterday morning as a 10-1 outsider and went to bed as an even-money second favourite.

José María Olazábal, long viewed as the ideal candidate, remains the favourite to lead the team in Wales next year but thus far the Spaniard has been reluctant to abandon his hopes of playing in the match. At a meeting of the European tour tournament layers committee in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday evening agreement was reached to give the Spaniard an ultimatum - say "yes" within the next two weeks or the job will go elsewhere.

If he accedes, then fine. If not, then the favoured candidates were Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnam and the popular Miguel Angel Jiménez. No more, it seems.

Like Olazábal, Montgomerie has been intent on playing his way on to the team but the fact is he is now 127th in the world rankings and showing no signs of recapturing the form that once made him an automatic choice for any Ryder Cup side. But if he is not the player he once was, he still the remains a significant figure on tour — popular with fans and, more important in these straighten financial times, popular with sponsors.

It has long been assumed the Scot would take on the Ryder Cup captaincy in 2014, when the event will be played in Scotland, but there is a mood within the players' committee after Nick Faldo's captaincy that the team needs a captain who competes regularly against, and is in touch with, potential team members.

The problem with all of this - at least from Montgomerie's point of view - is that while he will clearly fit this description in 2010 he might not in 2014, which has always been his preferred choice.

Great read, he would fit the bill for a strong captain IMO.

Mumbles just said on the telecast that his "source" told him it was not true.

LMAO,,, wonder who his source is ?????

I've seen 3 different names putup this week. Lyle and Ozathabal(sp) were the other two. Was said they gave O a week to make up his mind. Also said that Monty endorsed Lyle, so who knows.

Toss up really, but Monty would make a good one !!!!

Think he believes that he can still play himself on to the team. O's thoughts too.

I saw the three names article as well, and was surprized at Monty moving on up to the spotlight. I thought he wanted the one in Scotland, but may have been told this was his window?? Who knows?? January 27th is when the announcement will be made.

Agree that he wants the one in the homeland more and his ego is still fogging reality. But he is ahead of
sergio so far this week

I would agree, if he is on would be a tough one to beat !!!