Monty to seek more wild cards

RYDER CUP 2011:COLIN MONTGOMERIE is seeking an increase in the number of wild cards he will have for next year's Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

The European Tour’s players’ committee meets in Ireland on May 12th and Montgomerie wants more than the two captain’s picks that have been the case for the last seven matches. Currently Europe opts for 10 qualifiers and two wild cards, a system that has been in operation since the 1995 match.

America won back the trophy last October after their captain Paul Azinger sought and was given four picks, two more than his predecessors.

“I am one vote, but a more powerful one than I was, being the captain,” said Montgomerie. “I will put the case forward. It’s up to the committee to debate that and to come up with a scenario. I can’t at this stage say what – but you can put two-and-two together.”

Reports that his opposing captain, Corey Pavin, is urging his top men Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson to play Celtic Manor, venue for the 2010 Ryder Cup, in a Wales Open before the encounter, left Montgomerie unfazed.

While Pavin is playing this year’s Wales Open at Celtic Manor, Montgomerie does not believe the world’s numbers one and two will turn up.

“Knowing Celtic Manor will be a huge, huge advantage to Europe. We will have had three years playing it (the Ryder Cup course) and the Americans will only have three days. It was proved in 1997 that 10 years learning to play Valderrama gave us a tremendous advantage.”

He did not reveal how many wild cards he will be asking for – he once said he would like the captain to be able to choose all 12 of the side – but did confirm it is a change to the current system.

Last year Nick Faldo chose to leave out Montgomerie, up-and-coming German star Martin Kaymer, European Open champion Ross Fisher and Darren Clarke – winner of two qualifying tournaments, including the penultimate one – in favour of Ian Poulter and Paul Casey.

Poulter’s selection was controversial because he had not flown back from America for the final event when he still had a chance to make the team automatically, but he responded by being the top scorer in the contest with four wins out of five.

That was in a European defeat, however, and Montgomerie, chosen in January to succeed Faldo, would stamp himself on the job if the system is changed as he wishes.

The Scot, who plays in this weekend’s Spanish Open in Girona after a second cortisone injection in his right hand, will also be urging prospective team members to enter the Wales Open next year if they have not previously played the Twenty Ten course.