Golf: Monty eyes leap up rankings after top-50 finishes

Published on Friday 17 December 2010 20:52

HAVING already shown signs of improvement since the responsibility of trying to win back the Ryder Cup was lifted from his shoulders, Colin Montgomerie is aiming to make a significant jump up the world rankings in 2011.

"I was 47th in the world when I started the campaign as captain and now I'm 408th," reflected the eight-time European No.1, who is without a win on the circuit for more than three years. "Hopefully that's not just because of terrible play and was due to something else. It is interesting that, after two years looking at leaderboards to see how other players are doing, since the Ryder Cup I've played 18 rounds and have not been over par in one of those."

That run started the week after the win in Wales, when Montgomerie partnered his brother, Douglas, in the Dunhill Links Championship. He finished in the top 50 there, as he did in his final two events of the season, the Singapore Open and Hong Kong Open. His 25th place in the former was the 47-year-old's best performance of the year.

"I feel I can totally concentrate on my own game again. I used to be three over after four or five holes and you can't come back from that nowadays," he added. "You are just hoping to make the cut, if you can, and that's how my game deteriorated. I want to get back again. I am playing in five of the first six events (in 2011] and want to get going again. Not just competing but contending - there is a big difference."