GOLF:Normally, the dark clouds hovering over Colin Montgomerie's head are of the temperamental rather than the meteorological variety. More often than not, the Scot's unpredictable outbursts and X-ray stares contain sufficient volatile electricity to light a small city. He can be a human volcano.
Not yesterday though. Yesterday he was sunshine and light and all things nice. Yesterday, the dark clouds belonged purely to the weather fronts that rolled in over Straffan, where, despite bolts of lightning and crashes of thunder that seriously disrupted the final round of the Smurfit Kappa European Open at The K Club, causing two lengthy stoppages, Europe's iconic golfer was immune to distractions as he kept his head and let his clubs do the talking on the way to claiming the €593,580 top prize with a one-stroke win over Sweden's Niclas Fasth.
Though tee times for the final chapter of the weather-interrupted tournament were pushed forward on the advice of the on-course meteorologist, such precautions proved insufficient to prevent severe disruption.
Two thunderstorms delayed this latest coronation, spoiling everyone's party apart from the winner's.
Montgomerie - who shot a final-round 65 for 269, 11 under par, to finish one stroke clear of Fasth and two clear of four others: Anthony Wall, Pelle Edberg, Gregory Havret and Peter Hanson - added the European Open title to his three Irish Open victories and returned to the winner's podium for the first time since his Hong Kong Open win some 19 months ago. It was his 31st victory on the European Tour.
"It's fantastic to win; it's been a long time coming," said Montgomerie, who was an integral part of Europe's success in last year's Ryder Cup but had not won on tour since Hong Kong at the end of 2005.
He posted his mark before the second break in play and had to wait anxiously as the pretenders to the crown - principally Fasth - tried to catch him. Their chase proved futile.
"Having to watch them play the last few holes was very, very difficult circumstances. The last time I was in that position was the 1992 US Open 15 years ago, when I had a chance and had to wait. On that occasion, it didn't happen. On this, it did," said Montgomerie, who will next week continue his quest for a major at the British Open at Carnoustie.
For a period late in the final round, there was the tantalising prospect of an Irish winner as Graeme McDowell posted three successive birdies from the 10th. But the weather delay hit his rhythm, and he dropped a shot at the 13th on his return to the course.
A birdie on 15 moved him to nine-under for the tournament and just two off the lead with three holes to play. But, sadly, he turned euro notes into confetti on the run-in, finishing with a sequence of bogey-bogey-double bogey and eventually dropping to tied-18th, which earned him €41,669.
"I'm gutted, this game is a series of constant and never-ending disappointments," said McDowell.
It was an equally frustrating tournament for Padraig Harrington, who finished with a 72 for 280, which left him in tied-51st.
The Dubliner plays in this week's Irish PGA at The European Club in preparation for next week's British Open and remarked, "Obviously I didn't perform as well as I would have liked this week. I don't particularly find it an easy golf course, but obviously quite a lot of people do.
"I'll choose to fight my battles on a different course."
