Europe stand by, Colin Montgomerie is back. And the 35-year-old Scot is intent on proving he is going to be Braveheart again, not only by sealing his sixth consecutive order of merit, but by carrying the Ryder Cup flag for Mark James next year.

Montgomerie showed great courage again to claim his second victory in three weeks and leapfrog Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood to top of the rankings.

While Westwood cheered himself with a brave finish, too, there was further crushing disappointment for Clarke as his 21st place dumped him down to third on the rankings last night.

It proved an exhilarating finish not only for Monty, but also for Paul McGinley as the Dubliner was tied sixth with Westwood.

But Padraig Harrington was unlucky to find the water at the last to run up a double bogey to blemish an otherwise strong final day performance.

Montgomerie, by holing a five-footer for par on the last to deny Vijay Singh and Robert Karlsson a play-off, finished with a 67 for 22-under-par to win by a stroke and clinch the £166,660 first prize.

That took him £111,926 in front of Westwood on the rankings and to 318,020 on the Ryder Cup table, so, remarkably Montgomerie has virtually booked his ticket to Brookline after only four counting events.

After fighting back when Karlsson captured the lead off him midway down the closing stretch, that point was not lost on Monty.

Said the five-time European number one, now ominously placed for his sixth title: "I'm proud of myself for being able to show what I can only call courage to win. I'm proud I'm proving I can react under conditions like this.

"It's always nice to be back on top of the order of merit," added Montgomerie, "although it's not so important to me as winning the record first five. And it's nice to know I've virtually sealed my Ryder Cup place already. That should be a help to Mark."

While Montgomerie surged back to number one, Clarke's closing 69 dropped him £150,000 behind top place now with just two events to go. He will play Belgium now this week to try to add a £66,000 first prize at the course where he had his maiden tour victory five years ago.

Clarke was a highly frustrated man because his final round 69 for 13-under-par, was so similar to his previous three, a blazing start of four birdies in the first seven holes and then a brick wall.

The money story was just £10,800 when it could have been nearly 10 times better.

While Clarke was dismayed, McGinley was delighted. He repeated Harrington's feat of Friday of five birdies in a row, his run starting at the ninth.

"I played my best shot of the week on the ninth, because it's a tough hole," said McGinley. "I hit an eight-iron 204 yards with the wind to eight feet and got the putt.

"But the next four holes pleased me even more. All of them were with 15-foot birdie putts and I had my best putting round of the year. That was a great confidence boost with the Dunhill Cup coming up."

His efforts earned him a prize of £32,500.

Harrington looked certain to top that when he chipped in at the 17th to go 18-under. But then came his last-hole horror as he first pushed his drive into the crowd and the rough and then saw his ball bounce off the lake bank into the water.

He said: "I just couldn't believe it wasn't enough. I deliberately chose the three-wood because I was on the bank's upslope. I never expected it would come up short.

"But overall I was really pleased with my more relaxed attitude and delighted with my game."