Europe's number one happy at home

WHILE Darren Clarke is impatient to sample the high life of a world-class golfer, Colin Montgomerie believes there is no place like home. Clarke, fellow Irishman Paul McGinley, Lee Westwood, and the rest of the "young lions" in the care of ring-master Andrew Chandler, will be jetting to the United States on Concorde next month, arriving in New York two hours before they take off, so that they will get the maximum time to prepare for the US Open at the Congressional Club.

There are even persistent rumours that all three will be trying to win a place on the US Tour next year by entering the American Qualifying School in the autumn. European number one Montgomerie is not so enchanted with life on the other side of the Atlantic as he was at pains to demonstrate yesterday on the eve of the Benson and Hedges International Open which begins at The Oxfordshire club near Thame this morning.

The Scot has just returned from a six-week stint on the US circuit where he won over $251,000, had top 10 placings in the Honda Classic and Players Championship, but finished 30th in the US Masters. While there he was also the subject of persistent rumours that he would be setting up home on a permanent basis.

Not so declared Montgomerie, although he might have been forgiven for having second thoughts after playing the pro-am yesterday in a biting wind, laden with hail and rain showers that were reminiscent of last year's ordeal in the Oxfordshire countryside.

"If I was a bachelor I would play in the USA " he said. "But I am just very happy where I am right now, and I am not in any mood to go and threaten that in any way by moving over to America. I have a lovely new home and I am very happy in Britain. "Golf is not number one for me. My eldest daughter is four and school is coming up, and I want my children to be educated in England." So Nick Faldo and Jesper Parnevik will not be having Montgomerie's company for any longer than they did this year.

In 1995 I will have roughly the same schedule as this season " he added. "I will play five tournaments around the time of the Masters, and two at the time of the US Open and US PGA Championships."

Accordingly he has rejected the recent US Tour offer of associate membership. "Winning here is slightly easier than in the States he admits."I have won 12 times here, and not once over there and I would have thought I'd have managed that by now."

The reason he has not, he puts down to being unable to groove a putting stroke in the manner that Americans can, on top quality greens in benevolent weather. "That is why they outscore us in their ability to get up and down from anywhere " he says. "Europeans strike the ball better, and are longer from tee to green."

This week Montgomerie plays for the first time in Europe since the US Masters against Ryder Cup contenders like Clarke Who have been struggling to cope with a variety of conditions over the last month, although the weather on the Continent has been warm and sunny.

But now cashmere sweaters, reliable waterproofs, and woolly hats and mittens, will be as important as the quality of a golfer's strokeplay in this ill-fated event which has suffered continually since it was switched from its mid- summer date in York.

For those like Clarke and Philip Walton, who were third and fourth in the 25 degree sunshine of the Italian Open at Lake Garda last Sunday, it will be another searching test of their adaptability and resolve. Even Montgomerie was found wanting here 12 months ago as he twice shot 67 to take a three-stroke lead into the final round, and was then blown to an 84 by a ferocious gale. Stephen Ames from Trinidad and Tobago was the surprise winner.

Ronan Rafferty was the only Irishman to make the halfway cut, among the casualties being Padraig Harrington who ran up a 13 at the 17th in the second round after going into the lake four times.

The lake is still there and Harrington appears to have learned the lesson that although he can hit a three wood 250 yards, it is a different proposition when all but 10 yards of that distance is over water.

"This time I will lay up at that par five even if I have only 150 yards to go," he smiled.

Eighteen of the top 20 Ryder Cup contenders are in the line up seeking a prize of £116,660 and commensurate cup points. Bernhard Langer, fresh from his first victory in Europe with the long putter, captain Seve Ballestcros, and Ian Woosnam are the principals.

McGinley is back after taking a break from Italian week, David

Higgins and Raymond Burns continue their "education", and old hands Christy O'Connor Jnr and Eamonn Darcy hope they can make their experience count. There is also a place for Clontarf's John Murray who wins a sponsor's invitation, and Rafferty attempts to improve on his 58th place last year.

. Bernhard Langer and Seve Ballesteros were involved in different calls yesterday one for a change in the way Ryder Cup profits are handed out and the other for bigger golf balls.

Langer said he disagreed with the 50-50 split of cup profits between the European tour and the British Professional Golfers' Association, believing that more money should go to continental golf bodies.

"I have voiced my opinion and made recommendations," said Langer, a member of the tour's tournament committee.

"I'm sure the other continental players agree with me, but it's not up to me to take it further. They might listen, but that doesn't mean they will change we are dealing with tradition here.

"Ever since continental players became part of the Ryder Cup (in 1979) part of the money should go to other PGAs. Maybe it ought to be considered again."

Philip Weaver, chairman of the PGA, said: "It may not be the case that we write out cheques directly to the continental PGAs but we do get involved. All the profits are ploughed back into golf."

Ryder Cup captain Ballesteros also playing in the Benson and Hedges International, was asked whether golfing bodies should take steps to counter the hitting power of new Masters champion Tiger Woods.

Rather than changing courses, as others have suggested, Ballesteros said: "I'd rather see them change the ball, make it bigger like they did before in the early 1970s.

It would make the game a little bit more difficult and it would be easier for amateurs to find the ball in the rough. And for me too!"

Langer disagrees with that. "People come out to see the ball go far. If you take that away, you take away the fun and excitement. People thrive on watching John Daly and Tiger hitting the ball out of this world."