Monty vows to show 'em

Colin Montgomerie has decided that a US Tour victory is the best way to put an end to verbal abuse from unruly American galleries.

The Scotsman, speaking yesterday on the eve of the £1 million sterling Dubai Desert Classic, confirmed his change of heart about playing in America and reckons winning there would put an end to the type of barracking he faced in Carlsbad, California, while losing his first-round match to the American Scott McCarron in last month's Accenture Matchplay.

"Winning would finish it," he said. "That answers every question."

Montgomerie said he was verbally abused by certain elements of American galleries because they saw him as a potential tournament winner.

"The better you get and the more of a threat you become the more difficult it is. I'm seen as a threat and I'm glad I'm seen as a threat."

He said he had had assurances from the US Tour that the perpetrators of such abuse would be ejected in future and that was one reason why he had changed his mind and would continue to play there.

Ernie Els, who is in the field here after victory in the Genuity Championship on the US Tour last week, has experience of what the Scotsman has been through in the US.

"I've been with him a couple of times when it's happened," said Els, who played a practice round with Montgomerie yesterday. "I've seen first hand what goes on and he probably gets it worse than anybody I've seen in my time. He's got it pretty difficult. This is his livelihood. I don't think he should let those guys get between him and trying to win tournaments in America.

"He's got to try and ignore it. It basically happens late in the afternoon when most of them have had a couple of beers. You can just laugh at it really. They probably don't mean what they say."

Els returns to Dubai after a four-year absence. He held off a charging Tiger Woods last week to win and felt the victory was well deserved.

"I feel I've put in a lot of work over the last six to eight months and I feel I am starting to reap some rewards now. That's very satisfying. I am enjoying working hard on my game again."

There are six Irish challengers this week, including British Amateur Open champion Michael Hoey, who plans to begin his professional career after next month's Masters.

Darren Clarke will be playing the first two rounds with the two Nicks, Fasth and Faldo.

Padraig Harrington plays with prospective Ryder Cup team-mate Pierre Fulke and Arjun Atwal, the first Indian to win on the tour.

Des Smyth is assured of a good gallery as he plays alongside Seve Ballesteros and Ian Poulter, while Ronan Rafferty and Eamonn Darcy round off the Irish representation.

Meanwhile, the women's Solheim Cup match is to switch to even-numbered years after this season to avoid further clashes with the Ryder Cup.

Europe's defence of the trophy in Minnesota this September goes ahead in the week before the reorganised Ryder Cup at the Belfry, but the contest scheduled for Barseback in Sweden in 2004 will now take place in September next year.

"The move has been made to ensure the flagship team event in women's golf retains its prominent position in the sporting calendar," said Richard Relton, European director for the event.

Guardian Service