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Montgomerie questions Masters invitation policy

— Photo: AFP

Colin Montgomerie.

London: Seething at missing out on a Masters appearance for only the second time in his illustrious career, legendary Scot golfer Colin Montgomerie has lashed out at the organisers for ignoring him and inviting an Asian trio, including Jeev Milkha Singh, ranked lower than him.

Montgomerie claims had he been a Chinese, he would have been part of the first Major of the season next week but instead, he would now be staying at home, admittedly washing his car. “There has been no call from Augusta and I am not expecting one,” said a bitter Montgomerie, whose game has been on the wane of late. The Scot could not position himself among the top 50 and slid to 75 in the world rankings, failing to make the cut for the Major.

And with the Asian trio of Jeev (World No. 80), Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand (93) and Liang Wen-hong of China (111) bagging the special invitations, Montgomerie’s anger knew no bounds.

Very strange

“Now, if I were the only person in the country, a la China, I might get in. It is a strange way to make up a field for a Major championship television rights,” he was quoted as saying by The Independent.

“They are quite open about why. They were when I missed out last time in 2005 when they picked Shingo Katayama who was 67th in the world and I was 51st. They picked him over me for the Japanese rights. And they have done the same with Thailand and China this time,” said Montgomerie while attending a promotional event for June’s BMW International Open.

“I am not the only one who feels that way and not just because I am not in. In or not, I’d be saying the same thing. It is a strange criterion to pick a Major field,” complained the Scot, one of the most accomplished golfers never to have won a Major title.

According to him, the event should follow other Majors and do away with the invitations.

“The Masters is the only one you can get invited to. At the Open, the U.S. Open and the USPGA you have to qualify. But the Masters have their own rules so we will leave them to it. It would be easier to swallow if no one was invited and it was done on sporting and not commercial criteria,” he said. — PTI

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