EUROPEAN TOUR: Colin Montgomerie has been accused of many things in his 20-year European Tour career, but he could never be called dull, writes Brian Keogh, in Cologne. In his press conference for the 78-man, €2 million Mercedes-Benz Championship here, the eight-time European number one touched on everything from his start to the 2008 Ryder Cup campaign, Ireland's claim for a World Cup exemption, the coming Seve Trophy and his first impressions of the ubiquitous FedEx Cup
He even revealed the identity of his best man for his spring wedding to Gaynor Knowles, the wealthy widow of a Scottish furniture tycoon.
"(Manager) Guy Kinnings is going to be my best man," Monty chirped. "My brother was best man the first time and he would rather be a guest on this occasion, having once done it. Guy's been a very close friend for 20 years, and an obvious choice. It saves me upsetting any players too."
Montgomerie will fire his first salvo in the 2008 Ryder Cup points war today and he's hoping that by the time he hangs up his Christmas stocking, he will have duplicated his start to the last campaign and have his place in Nick Faldo's European side copper-fastened.
"I had a great end to 2005, where I won the Dunhill Links, finished third in the American Express tournament in America and was third at the Volvo Masters, so I'd qualified really by Christmas," he said. "The plan again is to qualify by Christmas."
Unlike the "unavailable" Sergio Garcia, Luke Donald, Henrik Stenson and Anders Hansen, Montgomerie will be playing the Seve Trophy at the Heritage in Co Laois in two weeks, and he hopes that B&I skipper Faldo gives a wildcard to Paul McGinley, one of Faldo's vice-captains designate for the next year's Ryder Cup matches in Kentucky.
He said: "It would be good to see Paul involved, especially as it's in Ireland, and to give him some experience with Nick at the same time."
US TOUR:Tiger Woods is the red-hot favourite to win this week's Tour Championship, the fourth and final event in the inaugural FedExCup play-off series. Fresh from clinching his 60th PGA Tour title, the world number one is also highly fancied to earn the $10 million bonus in deferred compensation for the overall points champion.
Only six players in the 30-strong field at East Lake Golf Club are still in the running for what is being billed as sport's single biggest pay day.
Either Woods or Steve Stricker would claim the $10 million bonus with victory, regardless of where the other players finish. Phil Mickelson would earn the bonus with victory, as long as Woods finishes worse than second.
Padraig Harrington goes out in the first pairing this morning with Heath Slocum at 4.50pm Irish time.
EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING: A stunning, nine-under-par 63 at Fleesensee Golf Club in Germany lifted Denmark's Kasper Linnet Jorgensen four strokes clear of the field on 13 under 131 at the halfway stage. The top 26 players after four rounds progress to Second Stage.
At The Oxfordshire in England, where the top 27 get through, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy lies in joint ninth place after a round of 67 took him to 137 and four shots off the lead held by England's Matthew Morris.
WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS: Ireland slipped to a 6-3 defeat at the hands of Scotland on the opening day at Dunbar yesterday. Looking for their third crown in six years, the Irish made a bright start and shared the foursomes one match apiece with one halved.
Although Scotland took the singles 4½-1½, three of the matches were decided on the last. Ireland's only winner was Curtis Cup player Tara Delaney who triumphed 3 and 2 against Emily Ogilvy.
