Colin Montgomerie says he will be doing all he can to help attract some of the biggest names in golf to this year’s Staysure PGA Seniors Championship.
The Ryder Cup legend and eight-time European Tour order of merit winner has been unveiled as the tournament host for the Legends Tour event which will take place at Trump International Links near Aberdeen from July 31 to August 4.
The tournament, which is the Legends Tour’s flagship event, is a week after the Senior Open at Carnoustie and Montgomerie believes, for many of those who will be teeing up at the major, adding the event to their schedule will be an attractive proposition.
He said: “The date is crucial and it fits in great.
“We will go to The Open Championship and then the Senior Open Championship and then the PGA Seniors Championship. It is a fantastic run and a real celebration of golf with all three in Scotland.
“It is a great honour to be the host.
“I was here when this course opened and I have links with Aberdeen through my mother’s charity, the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation, at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, which is going from strength to strength which proves it was needed to support cancer patients.
“I was also here in 2012, not running but jogging or a light walk down Union Street with the Olympic flame ahead of London 2012.
“I’m looking forward to it and my job won’t just be as host for the week but to encourage as many top Americans to stay on after Carnoustie.
“Hopefully those players who are playing Carnoustie will decide to come up here.
“Trump International Links is a great addition to the iconic links courses here in Scotland.”
Tiger in Aberdeen in the coming years?
Montgomerie believes over-50s professional golf is in great shape and reckons Tiger Woods joining the ranks in the near future will only add further interest.
He said: “You would like to think it is on an upward curve.
“Tiger Woods is the needle for everything on both sides of the pond.
“He is 49 in December so the hope is Tiger will play the odd senior event. Even one or two would be great.
“If he came over for the Senior Open when he turns 50 and President Trump has a chat with him then you never know, he could well be here in Aberdeen. That would be fantastic.
“The standard of senior golf is incredible. We saw that at the Masters with Vijay Singh, Jose Maria Olazabal and Phil Mickelson all making the cut.
“Mickelson won a major at 50 which was something we never thought would be possible.
“I play against players such as Ernie Els, Steve Stricker, Bernhard Langer and Vijay and now you are looking at Mike Weir and KJ Choi.
“Peter Baker had great success on the Legends Tour last year and you’ve got players such as Thomas Bjorn, Paul Lawrie, Paul McGinley, Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez.
“There are major winners and real characters of the game.
“I’ll be looking at my contacts list and speaking to as many people who are coming over for the Open and/or the Senior Open at Carnoustie to encourage them to stay on an extra week and participate here.”
Phil Harrison, CEO of the Legends Tour, was delighted to welcome Montgomerie as tournament host.
He said: “Colin Montgomerie is a name synonymous with European golf and the success it has enjoyed over the past 40 years.
“We are delighted to have Colin on board as a host on the Legends Tour as we look to take it to the next level and continue our growth over the past four years.
“Having a marquee name to host our flagship event makes things extra special.”
Trump International Links hosted the PGA Seniors Championship for the first time last year. In October it was confirmed that the Aberdeenshire venue would host the event for the next three years.
Sarah Malone, executive vice president of Trump International, Scotland, said “We are truly honoured to welcome Colin back to Trump International Golf Links, Scotland where he helped launch our magnificent links with President Trump in 2012.
“We are thrilled to host the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship for a second year and can think of no better host for this fantastic tournament featuring so many great legends of the game.”
No Open swansong for Montgomerie
Colin Montgomerie sees no reason why a senior golfer can’t challenge for the Claret Jug at Royal Troon this summer – but it won’t be him.
Montgomerie made it through a 36-hole final qualifier at Glasgow Gailes to earn a spot at the 2016 Open when it was held at Royal Troon.
He was given the honour of hitting the first shot and went on to make the cut on what was his last appearance in the major.
But the former European Ryder Cup captain does not intend to try his luck at qualifying again this year.
He said: “I was thinking about trying to qualify for The Open again.
“The only one I would be tempted would be Troon as it is my home course and I know every inch of grass of the place.
Colin Montgomerie will host the Legends Tour's flagship event, the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, this summer.
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“But there happens to be a senior major, the US Senior Open, on at that particular time.
“That is my main tour now.
“I’m 60 years old and I’ve seen how far back some of the tees are at Troon. Let’s hope it is playing fast for those who are playing!
“I qualified at 53-years-old and it was great.
“I was given the honour to hit the first shot at Troon. I was able to bow out there having made the cut.
“There are only three spots available out of 70 guys at Glasgow Gailes.
“I think it would be even harder now.
“I think I will go out on a high rather than a possible low.”
Jose Maria Olazabal, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson all made the cut at last week’s Masters, while Mickelson made history by becoming the first player aged over 50 to win a major when he won the 2021 PGA Championship.
Montgomerie believes Royal Troon could provide another opportunity for a senior player to challenge for one of golf’s top four prizes – providing the conditions are right.
He said: “I wouldn’t be surprised at all.
“The one tournament where a senior golfer can do well is an Open on a links course.
“If it is a dry spring and a fast-running course then the length doesn’t tend to be the issue.
“If the course is damp and heavy, then longer courses will obviously be too long for some of the senior golfers.
“There is no reason why someone with experience and know-how, who knows to miss the greens at the right side, with that Tiger way of playing Augusta in the way he does, can get round and make the cut.
“There is no reason why someone over 50 can’t do very well at The Open.
“That is the major where there is more potential for doing well.”
