Mike Aitken's Ryder Cup blog

Published on Tuesday 16 September 2008 15:15

The Scotsman's golf writer Mike Aitken is blogging from the Ryder Cup in Valhalla all this week.

As a dozen of Europe's finest golfers posed for a team photo after the mist cleared at Valhalla this morning, the absence of Colin Montgomerie from the ranks for the first time since he made his debut in the match at Kiawah in 1991 was as jarring as Halloween without trick-or-treat.

Although no one, least of all the player himself, could argue the veteran Scot deserved a pick on the strength of his performances this year, that's not the same thing as debating how much Europe could miss his experience and tenacity in Kentucky.

According to Bernard Gallacher, who was Monty's captain on three occasions, the big Scot, at his best, brought versatility and inspiration to the team room and the course.

"Colin had the type of game which was good in both foursomes and fourballs," recalled Gallacher, who is working for Radio 5 in Louisville this week. "People talk about his unbeaten record in singles, but it was his adaptability I liked.

"There are guys who are either effective in fourballs or foursomes, but Colin could do both and was easy to play with. When he brought his best game, he found the middle of the fairway and then he put the ball on the green. Anyone can play with someone like that who is straight down the middle. That's why Nick Faldo always wanted to partner Monty.

"Colin has a big heart and doesn't mind if you ask him to go off first. He accepted that challenge and relished it. Now Nick has to find someone else to go off first with Harrington and enjoy it. That's an important role because the first pairing can set the benchmark for the rest of the match. The players look up to that opening match and take their cue.

"When Harrington and Monty went off against Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods at Oakland Hills, they matched the Americans shot for shot in the top match and defeated them. And when they went off first again, on a very atmospheric first tee at the K Club against Tiger and Jim Furyk two years ago, Woods was nervous and hit his first ball into the water. He didn't even need to hit a wood that morning – he could have knocked a 2 iron down the middle. But he tried to hit a career best shot and the pressure got to him."

Like Gallacher, Sam Torrance, a former captain who is commentating for BBC TV here this week, wouldn't have handed the Scot a wild card. But he would have brought him along as a captain's assistant."For me, Monty was worth considering as a vice-captain," he said. "Not only for what he could bring into the team room, but also part of his own learning process for being the captain at some point in the future."

Just as Robert Karlsson believes Monty's experience will be missed by the rookies,Harrington, Europe's leading light with three major wins in the past two summers, also feels Europe will be the poorer for the Scot's failure to qualify. "The last Ryder Cups I have been leading player in the world rankings and qualification, but there is a void with Monty missing," he admitted.

Europe, hopefully, will find new heroes here at Valhalla, but Montgomerie has left large shoes to fill.