Montgomerie Bows to the Jeers

Colin Montgomerie, who was heckled by fans in his first-round match at the Accenture Match Play Championship, says he probably isn’t going to play any more tournaments in the U.S. after this year.

“I’ll be 39 in June, I just don’t need this anymore,” said Montgomerie, who lost, 2 and 1, to Scott McCarron in Wednesday’s match at La Costa. Montgomerie said he was heckled on several occasions during the match, including an incident on the 12th hole when he was cheered after missing a putt.

Montgomerie also said he was heckled about his weight and about how he was enjoying the outcome of the match.

“All the usual material,” Montgomerie said.

“Without turning around, I knew I could accurately predict the appearance of these kinds of fans: shorts, tennis shoes, T-shirt, cap on backward, holding a beer. I was correct.”

McCarron, however, thinks Montgomerie overreacted.

“The whole thing has been blown out of proportion,” he said. “There was only one guy who stifled a yell when Colin missed his putt at the 12th. And that was it.”

Montgomerie, the seven-time leading money winner on the European Tour and four-time European Tour player of the year, has won 26 tournaments, but none in the U.S., where he plays sparingly. Soon, he might not be playing at all. Montgomerie, who flew home Thursday to London, is supposed to play next in the U.S. at Bay Hill.

He said he probably will honor his playing commitments in the U.S. the rest of the year, but is probably not coming back in 2003.

Henry Hughes, the PGA’s senior vice president and chief of operations, hopes Montgomerie reconsiders.

“He has many fans in this country who appreciate his skill and achievements,” Hughes said. “We certainly hope that, upon reflection, Colin elects to keep selected U.S. appearances on his schedule.”

Montgomerie also indicated his ban on playing any tournaments in the U.S. would include major championships, including the Masters, PGA Championship and U.S. Open.

“No offense to Scott McCarron, but if this is happening to me in the first round of a tournament in such a low-key setting, what would happen to me on the 17th hole of a major?” he said. “Would I even be allowed to take back the club? Would someone run across the green and snatch my ball away from me?”

Montgomerie played only seven PGA Tour events in 2001. His best result was a tie for fourth at the NEC Invitational. He missed the cut at the Masters, tied for 52nd at the U.S. Open, tied for 13th at the British Open and was disqualified at the PGA Championship for signing an incorrect scorecard.

As he trudged up the steps to the clubhouse after his match Wednesday, someone in the gallery asked Montgomerie how he was feeling. Montgomerie said he was delighted not to be spending a “second longer” in the U.S.

Later, Montgomerie did not sound angry about his treatment by the galleries, but seemed tired of the situation and resigned to the fact that he is a continual target. He said he isn’t sure why he has been subject to ridicule by the fans.

“I went to school in this country [at Houston Baptist University] and I have traveled here extensively,” he said. “But it continues to happen. At this point, I’m at the edge. There is no level playing field. I simply don’t have the desire to deal with it any longer.”

Montgomerie says the first time he was ridiculed on the course by fans was at the 1994 U.S. Open at Oakmont, where he lost to Ernie Els in a three-way playoff. The next year, he said he received more abuse at the 1995 Ryder Cup at Oak Hill, the same year he lost a sudden-death playoff to Steve Elkington at the PGA Championship at Riviera.

And in the 1997 U.S. Open at Congressional, Montgomerie was consistently interrupted during play with shouts of “USA, USA”--”the Ryder Cup effect,” he said. Montgomerie once again wound up as a runner-up to Els in the Open.

Montgomerie’s next event is the Dubai Desert Classic, March 7-10. A course he designed, Emirates Hills, is next door to the site and is in line to host the European Tour event in 2004.