Montgomerie says best still to come

Colin Montgomerie refuses to believe his best golf is behind him at age 38.

"I would give up if I thought it was," the big Briton said in a teleconference call to promote a Skins Game next weekend.

The Scot finished fifth in the European Order of Merit this past season and is ranked 13th in the world but he is accustomed to better.

Before slipping to sixth on the European money list in 2000, Montgomerie enjoyed a record run of seven money titles in a row.

"I can't go down and I don't feel I've gone down. I think the standard has caught up, and in some cases, surpassed."

Montgomerie won last year's Skins Game, taking away $415,000 in competition against Fred Couples, Sergio Garcia and Vijay Singh.

This time he looks forward to taking on world number one Tiger Woods, Sweden's Jesper Parnevik and Australian Greg Norman on November 24-25 in Indio, California.

Especially Woods.

"It's always nice to compete against someone who is far and away the best player in the world," Montgomerie said.

Montgomerie feels he is not far from regaining the competitive edge.

"What I have to do now is find that extra three or four percent that I need again, that I had when I was ahead of the game for seven years in a row," he said.

"It's not going to be easy, but if I didn't feel like I could do it, I would stop."

WON TWICE

Montgomerie won twice this season on the tour to match his victory output of 2000. In 1999, the straight-driving Briton won six times.

"There are more players that can win now," explained Montgomerie, who for all his success still pines for his first major championship triumph.

He blames his fall from the pinnacle on an inability to get up and down consistently when faced with chipping on to the green.

"Mostly it was my chipping, to be honest," Montgomerie said. "From that, I haven't holed putts after chips. I have been driving the ball well, but my chipping and putting have not been up to my regular standards.

"I felt I left some shots on the course and that's what you can't afford to do. You have to be more careful now. I was fortunate before that I didn't have to be that careful a few years back, but the standard has caught up."

"They are catching up with Tiger as well, in America. They have caught me in Europe and it's now my job to figure out what went wrong. I can say fifth isn't bad and try to work from there and bring it out next year."

Woods was looking nearly invincible when he won his second Masters this year to give him four majors in a row, but he failed to contend in the next three big championships as South African Retief Goosen claimed the U.S. Open, David Duval won the British and David Toms snatched the PGA.

VERY CLOSE

"No one has ever conquered this game. Tiger came very close, winning four majors in a row, but no one can actually say they conquered this game and I don't think anyone ever will," he said. "That's the nature of the game."

Montgomerie said he is looking forward to the Skins Game and will take the unofficial event seriously by traveling to the States early to get in some practice on Tuesday.

He also believes the informal atmosphere of the Skins Game pays dividends with American fans, who have singled Montgomerie out for taunting and teasing in the past.

"It is nice to be able to show myself in a relaxed manner," said Montgomerie. "People who only see me in a four-round tournament see me in a different view.

"All I tend to do is come over and compete in the majors and it's good for the Americans to see me in a different light, like the Europeans have for so many years. It's nice to show that and well worth traveling that distance to do it."

Despite what he terms a disappointing season, Montgomerie found value in the experience.

"I learned a lot about myself," he said. "That's why I do feel there's a lot more left than what I did in 2001. I plan to be a lot better in 2002.

"I feel stronger mentally and physically as well. I'm going out there to give the last six or seven years I have on the tour the best chance.

"There's no reason to think I've stopped at 38 when Mark O'Meara wins two majors (the Masters and British Open in 1998) at 41.

"I hope the same thing happens for me."