Now Monty Gets to Spend More Time Off the Course

By THOMAS BONK

Feb. 25, 2000 12 AM PT

CARLSBAD —

Are you ready for this? Mellow Monty?

More often than he would like, Colin Montgomerie is the man you love to hate, largely for his ability to come off as an arrogant know-it-all. Critics have made fun of his lumpy build and his florid visage--certainly not his golf, which is nearly always impeccable.

But it appeared to be a new Monty who showed up this week at La Costa for the Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship . . . a slimmer, relaxed, confident family man who took the last 10 weeks off to get acquainted with his non-golf life.

Torturing Monty has become almost a cult sport among some of the gallery who follow the Scotsman at tournaments in the U.S., but they may be running out of ammunition.

Montgomerie did not hit a ball for 10 weeks and didn’t play a round of golf until Monday.

“I suddenly have become a husband and father,” said Montgomerie, who lost to Thomas Bjorn in a second-round marathon. “We all love this game, but at the same time, need a break from it, take stock of what’s going on and come back fresh. That’s where I am now.”

Where Montgomerie also is now is third in the world rankings, behind Tiger Woods and David Duval. On the European Tour, Montgomerie is the undisputed king. He has won the Volvo Order of Merit title as the European Tour’s money leader an unprecedented seven consecutive years. Last year, Montgomerie won five times and now has won 22 times since his first European Tour event in 1987.

There are shortcomings in his resume, however, specifically no major titles and not a single victory on the PGA Tour.

But off the course, Montgomerie is branching out. He is designing a golf course in Dubai that may host the Dubai Desert Classic European Tour event in 2001. He also has a new business relationship with the Westin hotel chain in Turnberry, Scotland, and was appointed Scotland’s golf ambassador.

And Montgomerie, who has been scourged for his outspokenness, seems to be softening on that front. There was even a touch of self-deprecation when he was asked about Woods.

“The guy is playing phenomenally well,” Montgomerie said. “Good luck to him. It’s up to us to raise our games to his. We’re finding it very difficult, a lot of us.”

CADDIE UPDATE

It’s sort of follow-the-bouncing-caddie these days, a trend that started last year when Woods parted ways with Fluff Cowan.

Woods hooked up with Steve Williams, who used to work with Ray Floyd. Cowan eventually joined forces with Jim Furyk, who said goodbye to Steve Duplantis.

The caddie change this week has veteran Greg Rita working with Duval, who split with Mitch Knox. Rita has been around lately, from John Daly to Scott Hoch to John Cook.

Nick Faldo, Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia also have new caddies. Garcia’s is Fanny Sunesson, who used to work with Faldo.

REARVIEW MIRROR

In what can’t be good news for the Nissan Open, Nissan Motor Co. has dropped its sponsorship of the U.S. Open tennis tournament after 11 years.

Nissan lost $229 million in 1999, according to Sportsbusiness Journal, which also reported that the auto maker will cut its budget for the Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club.

THE BUY.COM DEAL

Buy.com gave the PGA Tour $6.4 million up front in 1999, $8.5 million from the stock offering for the year and about 1.12 million shares of common stock, worth about

$21 million, in its deal with the PGA Tour to take over as the sponsor of what used to be the Nike Tour.

YEAH, SURE

Winner of the Bogus Ad of the Week is the Woods’ Nike Golf apparel print advertisement, featuring a photo of a smiling Woods and this quote: “I don’t know which makes me happier--winning another tournament, or this terrific new line of apparel!”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Doug Ferguson of the AP on Jesper Parnevik’s hot-pink pants at Riviera: “He’s the only player you can spot from 30,000 feet.”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK II

Garcia, on the difference between him and new caddie Sunesson’s ex-boss, Faldo: “We spend more time on the golf course.”

SCHEDULE THIS

For what it’s worth, Garcia’s pre-Masters schedule is the same as Woods’--the Bay Hill Invitational and The Players Championship.

CORPORATE AUGUSTA?

The Masters likes corporate tents even less than references to its “patrons” as “fans.” There is no on-site corporate hospitality at Augusta National, but outside the gates, it’s a brave new world.

Say hello to Azalea Village. It’s the creation of Global Sports Access, which provides corporate hospitality at sports events, Azalea Village has eight “hospitality chalets.” The tab?: $17,500 apiece.

PUFF PIECE

You can just about say goodbye to the du Maurier, the soon-to-be-extinct major on the LPGA Tour. Imperial Tobacco announced this week that it’s looking for another corporation to pick up the title sponsorship of the fourth major, which has been sponsored by Imperial for 26 years.

TAKE TWO

It has been around since 1899, but the Western Open in Chicago has a new name this year: The Advil Western Open. Advil paid $6 million in a three-year deal to be the title sponsor of the event, but reports are that Advil can change the name after this year.

Does anybody feel the Advil Open coming on?

CALLING DR. GIL

Has anyone missed Gil Morgan? Morgan hasn’t played at all this year because of a rib injury that occurred when he was lifting weights in the off-season. Morgan, 53, who has won 15 times on the Senior PGA Tour, may return March 17-19 at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf.

MR. CONSISTENCY

Here’s what makes the great players great. Duval, talking about working on his iron play: “It’s not as consistently great as it usually is, but it’s improving.”

NO RESERVATIONS

Duval said Augusta is a different town when the Masters isn’t being played:

“The Holiday Inn down the road is 50 bucks again.”

BROTHER ACT

David Sutherland was paired with his brother, Kevin, for the first two days of the Nissan Open and the first two days of the Buick Invitational.

“Luckily, we get along,” David said.

Younger by nearly two years, David is often asked how he really gets along with his brother.

“I say I’ve known him my whole life,” David said.

WEATHER MAN

Kirk Triplett, who won his first PGA Tour event in his 266th start, did not mind the lousy weather Sunday at the Nissan Open.

“I’ve played at Pebble Beach a lot, so this is nothing,” he said.

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