Montgomerie in fighting form

After a somewhat undignified entry into New Zealand last Tuesday, Colin Montgomerie was very much in control of things yesterday, the eve of the 44th World Cup. And he claimed emphatically that there should be no question about his status as Europe's player of the year.

No sooner had Montgomerie cleared customs at Auckland airport, than he was besieged by the local media. At the end of a long flight, it seemed to be more than he could handle and the upshot was a snub for his perceived tormentors whom he evaded without comment.

But in the controlled environment of the tournament interviewing area, the winner of the individual title at Kiawah Island 12 months ago was ready to field anything thrown his way. And he wasn't prepared to concede a suggested edge to Lee Westwood, whose victory in the Taiheiyo Masters in Japan last weekend was his sixth of the season.

"Sure, he's had a great year," acknowledged Montgomerie. "But what I did in capturing a sixth Order of Merit will never be beaten. It's quite simple in my view: I don't have a rival."

This was the Scot at his most assertive, clearly determined that his amazing dominance of European golf should receive proper recognition. And impressive as Westwood's achievements may have been, especially for a 25-year-old, Monty insisted that they paled in the face of his own, quite staggering consistency.

Nor was he prepared to accept the notion, aired publicly here by Paul McGinley earlier this week, that success seems to come easily to him. "He's amazing," said the Dubliner. "With very little practice, he can go out there and keep playing to an unbelievably high standard." But Montgomerie was having none of it. "Yes, I've heard those sort of comments and I would like it known that I work a lot harder than people think," he said.

McGinley was perfectly correct, however, in suggesting that the man's a marvel. It is only now that observers have fully digested the merit of his third-place finish behind Darren Clarke in the Volvo Masters at Montecastillo on November 1st - an achievement which secured the Order of Merit by a margin of more than £90,000.

According to himself it was made possible by "my fantastic will to succeed". And one could add by a burning desire to have proper cause for celebrating the MBE he was presented with three days later.

It is an unquenchable ambition which made it easy for him to decide on the long trek to Gulf Harbour in this, his first visit to New Zealand. "I have never before travelled as far for a tournament and it's important to make the effort worthwhile," he said.

The Scot also made it clear that he had no intention of jumping on the John Daly bandwagon, which had become such a potent element of the World Cup build-up in the local media. Would Gulf Harbour suit Daly as a course where you could get away with long hitting? "You can get away with long hitting on any course, provided you hit the ball straight," replied the straight-hitting Montgomerie, with more than a hint of smugness.

Though the organisers would never admit it, there is no doubt that he is being paid handsomely to compete this week, just as he was last year at Kiawah Island. Yet for all that, he has been a loyal supporter of the event since making his debut at Royal Melbourne in 1988 when he partnered Gordon Brand Jnr to a share of fifth place behind the US.

He later played in 1991, `92 and `93 but didn't return until last year when, interestingly, he made his first impact on the individual table. And it was quite an impact as rounds of 68, 66, 66, 66 gave him a stunning, 22-under-par total of 266 for the International Trophy and a reward of $100,000.

Taunted in the US and often vilified closer to home as the "Goon from Troon" or golf's "Gael-Force Windbag", he refuses to change. Baffled by the name-calling he continues to speak his mind, regardless of whom he upsets.

"I don't think it's right to be false and be accepted that way," he said. "I have opinions about things which I have aired in the past and will continue to air in the future. It's just the way I am."

This is his sixth World Cup and his first partnership with Andrew Coltart, who was a debutant with Brand Jnr in 1994. He went on to play with Sam Torrance the following year and was tied third in South Africa two years ago when paired with Paul Lawrie. And Coltart and Montgomerie were in Scotland's victorious Alfred Dunhill Cup in 1995.

Whatever about his partner, there's no doubt about Montgomerie's appeal, both as a player and as a personality. That's why the locals were present in strength to meet him on Tuesday morning. And why they will monitor his progress with even greater zeal over the next four days.