Golf Italian Open: Colin Montgomerie will start this week's Italian Open with a new lease of life. The former European number one has slumped to number 19 in the world after 10 weeks nursing his long-term back complaint and then a morale-sapping eight weeks playing in the US.
But the 39-year-old Scot is happy to be back on familiar territory in Europe - and even more delighted with a new set of irons.
After switching from blade irons back to cavity-backed clubs similar to those that earned him seven successive European number one honours, Montgomerie cruised to a 10-under-par 62 in yesterday's pro-am.
Montgomerie then handed out a warning to his rivals at the Gardagolf course: "I've got five weeks in Europe now before heading off for the US Open, so I can, hopefully, start winning again very shortly.
"They are more like the clubs I was using before. It is a cast club with a forged face. They have a slightly bigger head and the weight is different.
"I'm now confident with my equipment and confident being back in Europe, where I don't have anything to prove.
"I'm so glad to be back and looking forward to putting some scores on the board."
Montgomerie admitted his eight-week foray on the US Tour in early season, when he made just two cuts in seven tournaments, had been too much.
"You have the tag of 'never won in America' and eventually it gives you that niggly feeling, and I think I spent two weeks too long over there," he said.
"It just didn't work out for me, but the next five weeks I will be within two hours of home.
"I've shot 10-under today and there were a few more birdies left out there."
By picking up just $35,000 in America, Montgomerie languishes 119th on Europe's order of merit, but that is one place higher than this week's defending champion, Ian Poulter.
Poulter has been so disenchanted he has gone to swing guru David Leadbetter for help and is prepared to take up to two years to get his game in shape.
"I feel it's the right thing to do - he's got all the answers," said Poulter, winner of this event last November, his second Italian Open success in three title victories. "But I know it's not going to be a 10-minute fix."
Sam Torrance won the Kronenbourg Open at Gardagolf in 1993, but the 2002 European Ryder Cup captain, warming up for seniors golf in August, had to be reminded of the fact.
"Did I win here?" said Torrance incredulously. "I thought I won the Kronenbourg in Spain!"
The 49-year-old Scot, who likes a wager, will now be placing a bet on himself to win his fourth Italian title.
There are five Irish competitors in this week's field: Philip Walton, a former winner and playing on an invitation, Ronan Rafferty, Damien McGrane, Gary Cullen and Gary Murphy.
