Colin Montgomerie sets sights on Sicily win despite rankings slump

Published on Wednesday 16 March 2011 17:21

He MAY have slithered to 420th on the world rankings but Colin Montgomerie last night reiterated his desire to haul himself back up the golfing order ahead of the European Tour's inaugural Sicilian Open today.

The last time a man named Monty orchestrated success on Italy's largest island was during the Allied invasion of 1943 and Scotland's golfing general, 47, is aiming to launch his own assault at the Donnafugata resort.

"I believe that I can win again and I need to win again because I want to get back into the top 50 in the world and compete at the very highest level again," said the former European Ryder Cup skipper, who has not won on tour since 2007 and last recorded a top ten by taking second in the 2008 French Open. "The quickest way to do that is by winning and that is certainly the aim. Hopefully this is the start of me making my way back.

"I've been coming here for 23 years and have never won in this country so it's about time I started. It was very, very windy in the pro-am so difficult to get a sense of scoring conditions for the tournament but I'm looking forward to the week and trying to get that win that I need."

Montgomerie is one of 11 Scots in action this week and will be joined in the line-up by Paisley's Alastair Forsyth, who lost his full card last year and is making his first appearance on the tour since the Joburg Open in mid-January

"I'm dying to get playing after two months without an event and this is a massive tournament for me," he said. "I'm well down the order for the Andalucia Open next week and would need a top-ten finish here to get in to it. Top tens have never been so valuable for me and that is the target."

Stephen Gallacher, the second highest world ranked player in the field, Paul Lawrie, Gary Orr, Peter Whiteford, Steven O'Hara, Lloyd Saltman, Marc Warren, George Murray and Scott Jamieson make up the strong tartan army. Richie Ramsay withdrew late due to a neck injury picked up on a flight from his Atlanta base.

Others teeing up include BMW PGA champion Simon Khan, former US Open winner Michael Campbell and Italian favourite Costantino Rocca.