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Monty ends title drought

08/07/2007

Colin Montgomerie clinched his first Tour victory since 2005 after winning a nail-biting European Open at the K Club in Dublin.

The 44-year-old rolled back the years by carding a final round of 65 to finish on 11-under par, one stroke ahead of Sweden's Niclas Fasth.

Montgomerie fired seven birdies to become the clubhouse leader before play was halted twice because of lighting, which added to the suspense.

Fasth needed a birdie on the 18th to force a playoff but could only manage a par-three to give the Scot his first win since the 2005 Hong Kong Open.

Ahead of the Open at Carnoustie on July 19th, Montgomerie said he was thrilled at hitting back at his critics.

"It's nice to silence a few critics who said I wouldn't win a tournament again," Montgomerie said.

"Any win sounds good right now, it is two years of a dry spell and it is fantastic for me.

"This is not an important win - it's a very, very important win. When you go so long without a win you wonder whether it's going to happen again. You do have doubts."

Montgomerie started the day four shots behind leader Soren Hansen. But three birdies in the first six holes saw him race up the leaderboard.

He recovered from a bogey six at the 7th with birdies on the 10th and 11th, which included a 35-foot putt to give him the lead along with Fasth.

Montgomerie dropped another shot at the 13th but again responded positively with a birdie on the 14th before play was suspended.

Fasth resumed with a one-stroke lead after four birdies in 11 holes but then crumbled.

The Swede made two bogeys while Montgomerie birdied the 15th to take a two-shot lead.

After woeful tee-shots at the final two holes which fell close to the water, Montgomerie recovered to finish on 11-under.

Fasth birdied the 15th to move one stroke behind but missed an eight-foot birdie putt at the 17th before play was suspended again.

After an 80-minute delay, Fasth missed a 14-foot birdie putt on the 18th which would have put him level.

Montgomerie's 19-month wait for a Tour victory ended when Denmark's Hansen carded a final round of 72 which included three bogeys.

Meanwhile England's Anthony Wall was tied for third with Swedish pair Peter Hansen and Pelle Edberg along with France's Gregory Havret on nine-under.

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