Montgomerie to ask for change
GIRONA, Spain -- European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie hinted Wednesday that he will request a change in Europe's qualification system for the biennial match with the United States next year.
Currently, Europe opts for 10 qualifiers and two wild cards, a system that has been in operation since the 1995 match. However, Montgomerie has always said he would want more control over who plays for him if he were made captain.
Montgomerie even has suggested having all 12 team members selected by the captain, and is expected to plead for more wild cards when Europe's tournament committee meets at the Irish Open next month.
On Wednesday, at the PGA Golf de Catalunya course, the day before he plays in the Spanish Open, Montgomerie declined to reveal just how he wants his team to be formed but left no doubt he will ask for a change to the system.
"I am one vote [on Ryder Cup team selection], although a more powerful one now than I was, and I'll put a case forward," Montgomerie said. "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 U.S. captain Corey Pavin is urging Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson to play Celtic Manor -- the venue for the 2010 Ryder Cup -- in the Wales Open this year left Montgomerie unfazed.
Although Pavin is playing in the Wales Open, Montgomerie does not believe the world's top two players will turn up.
"Knowing Celtic Manor will be a huge, huge advantage to Europe. We will have had three years playing it 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," Montgomerie said.
