Europe’s new Number One, Colin Montgomerie, has received an OBE for his services to golf, and opted to dedicate the award to his European Ryder Cup colleagues. The Scot, awarded an MBE in 1998 after his sixth Order of Merit success, received his latest honour from the Prince of Wales at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
The 42 year old, a key member of Europe's Ryder Cup Teams since 1991, holed the winning put in the record-breaking victory over United States at Oakland Hills last year and he said: "This was awarded - I think - on behalf of The Ryder Cup Team of 2004.
“We won in America and I was probably the oldest player. I was the one at the helm of it I suppose, and in a way I take it for them - the whole Team. It's nice to be rewarded again for one's accomplishments, this one especially.”
Montgomerie recently celebrated his record-breaking eighth Order of Merit title, six years after his last. At the start of the year he occupied 83rd place on the Official World Golf Ranking and is currently 16th after a superb year in which he was second in The Open and won the dunhill links championship.
He added: "At the end of the year I got going a bit and holed a few crucial putts at the right time, also being at the right place at the right time you fall into a winner's position."
And though he remains ambitious to win one of golf's four Major Championships he would nevertheless be content with what he has achieved during his career.
"All I can do is keep trying and if one day the door opens and I walk through it, great," he continued. "Otherwise I'll leave with a very good career of Ryder Cup wins and Order of Merits."
