John Huggan: Why Monty's time is now: Age limit and unsuitability for US mean 2010 is the only Ryder option for Scot

Published on Saturday 31 January 2009 18:46

THE IMMEDIATE contrast has been both marked and obvious. Where in the previous incumbent there was only arrogance and an inflated sense of entitlement, for the man who will next lead Europe's Ryder Cup troops into golf's biggest biennial battle there is an endearingly giddy excitement at the prospect of taking up his dream job. Colin Montgomerie, as he will be only too happy to confirm, is no Nick Faldo.

It was heartening also to hear and read kind and supportive words from high-profile members of the European Tour who, while privately lacking respect for Monty the man in the wake of his well-chronicled rules shenanigans, were prepared to put aside such feelings and back Monty the captain. None of them, it is safe to assume, has anything but admiration for the 45-year-old Scot and the massive contribution he has made to the old world's Ryder Cup successes since his debut in 1991. And it was important that so many of them spoke out on that subject. As ever – at least publicly – the European Tour bonds like no other group in golf.

As usual with our tartan hero, however, his ascendency into the role that will consume most of his waking moments over the next 20 months was anything but straightforward. Indeed, had a prevaricating Jos Maria Olazabal stuck his hand in the air before the European Tour's tournament committee convened in Abu Dhabi last month, it is likely that Monty would still be waging a one-man campaign to have himself installed as skipper at Gleneagles five years hence.

Ironically, in fact, it was the timing of Olazabal's agreement to at least stand for the position that had most to do with Monty getting the job for 2010 rather than 2014. By the time the two-time Masters champion had made up his mind, the tournament committee had, rightly or wrongly, deemed that anyone the wrong side of 50 was too old to be captain. So Monty and 2014 – when he will be 51 – was suddenly a non-starter.

America in 2012 was never going to work either. Located on the outskirts of Chicago, a city where the locals have been known to metaphorically eat their young, Medinah had the potential to be another Boston '99, where and when Monty was shamefully and profanely abused by a boozed-up band of xenophobic morons. In the wake of such nauseating scenes it has long been obvious that, if Monty was ever to be a Ryder Cup captain, he would have to be billeted in the home locker room.

So there it was. Even if they had, in Olazabal, a candidate at least as well qualified, the committee was faced with the fact that, for Monty, it was now or never.

As for Olazabal, the much-rumoured "double announcement" never happened for three reasons. Firstly, there are concerns over the Spaniard's fragile health. With no guarantee of his fitness three years from now, it made sense to do nothing regarding the 2012 captaincy. There was no point in naming Ollie, then having to replace him with someone who would know with absolute certainty that he was second choice.

As Sergio Gomez, Olazabal's manager, explained even before last Wednesday's announcement: "Jose's OK swinging and hitting. But walking and bending over to line up putts etc causes him discomfort. It is rheumatism. So it is impossible to say yes or no about 2012. Jose does not know if he will by then be playing in the Masters, sitting in a wheelchair or somewhere in between."

Secondly, there was some understandable feeling within the committee that going public with their preference for a match to be held so far in the future could be seen as presumptuous and ill-mannered towards those who will succeed them in the decision-making process.

Lastly – and perversely – working against the proud Basque was the fact that he carries no Monty-like baggage and so is well able to take charge of an away side. In other words, Ollie could afford to wait two more years.

The good news, of course, is that, should Olazabal stay fit enough, Europe has two such well-qualified skippers for the next two matches. Plus, if Monty is to be believed, the man who beat him by 5&4 in the final of the 1984 Amateur Championship at Formby will be offered some leadership practice as the presumably most senior member of the all-important back-room team at Celtic Manor.

Then again, just the other day the pair didn't seem to be on the same page when it came to whether or not they had talked or not talked about such a possibility. But one can only hope that Ollie will set aside any lingering disappointment at not getting the top job this time round and join his old sparring partner on Europe's "dream ticket".

Others in line to receive a prime ministerial phone call from Monty's mobile are former captain and fellow Scot Sam Torrance and, perhaps, the chairman of the tournament committee, Thomas Bjorn. But, given Monty's non-committal straight-bat reaction to the suggestion in the immediate wake of his own appointment, it would seem unlikely that another Scot, Sandy Lyle, will be offered even the low-profile assistant's job he filled at the K Club in 2006 under Ian Woosnam.

As for the immediate future, Monty has already been making noises regarding the qualification process for the side. Currently made up of five players from a European Tour money list, five from a world ranking points list and two captain's picks, it will come as no surprise to hear that the new skipper ends up with at least three wild card choices this time round. Given his druthers, Monty would like to pick all 12 members of his side, but that eventuality is about as likely as Faldo being honoured for his public speaking and/or tactical nous.

Perhaps only one thing is certain: the next 20 months are unlikely to pass without incident, controversy or laughs. Monty, if nothing else, will be entertaining.