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| Ross Drummond |
(Report from the SGU website)
Colin Montgomerie became the first player to win the same title in three
consecutive years on both The European Tour and Senior Tour at sun-drenched
Woburn when he beat fellow Scot Ross Drummond at the second extra hole of an
epic climax to the Travis Perkins Masters.
The 52-year-old birdied the 18th hole in regulation play to squeeze into
the play-off and then rolled in an 18 foot birdie putt at the second play-off
hole to win a trophy which the sponsors decided he could keep permanently to
commemorate his achievement of winning it in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
It was a historic moment for Montgomerie, who won the PGA Championship
three times between 1998 and 2000, but the cruellest of conclusions for
Drummond, who had victory within his grasp before three putting the final green
to record a closing 69 and a five under par total of 211.
After 490 starts on The European Tour and a further 125 on the Senior
Tour, it had appeared that he would finally win a Tour title at the age of 58
years and 281 days. However, that fatal glitch on the final hole provided the
chink of light which his much decorated rival needed.
Montgomerie unsheathed his driver on the 18th tee, knowing that nothing
less than a birdie three would suffice, and smashed it 270 yards to within 15
paces of the front of the green. From there he chipped delicately to two feet
and holed out for a round of 71.
The first play-off hole was halved in par fours, with Montgomerie taking
a conventional route and Drummond holing from five feet for a par after
over-shooting the green. Back the pair of protagonists went to the 18th tee and
Drummond had to pitch from behind the green once more to make his par.
However, Montgomerie needed no second invitation and his 18 footer
unerringly found the centre of the hole. Drummond’s shoulders slumped and even
the three-time winner seemed almost apologetic at ending his countryman’s title
dream after 28 years on the European and Senior Tours.
Despite having numerous entries in the golfing record books, the
three-time Senior Major champion was overwhelmed by his latest effort, achieved
in front of a superb Sunday crowd of 7,174, bringing the total for the week to
17,416, slightly up on 2014.
He said: “I always thought my performance at Wentworth in 1998, 1999 and
200 was the best I could do. Winning three times in a row was really hard on
The European Tour, so that was probably the ultimate accolade in my golfing
career. But I have to say this comes extremely close to emulating that.
“I came here to Woburn with a lot of pressure on me as the favourite to
win and it’s sometimes difficult and harder to achieve when something is
expected of you.”
Drummond was graceful in defeat, but knew he had missed a golden
opportunity to win the £48,000 first prize and to enter that elusive winner’s
enclosure after five previous second places on the Senior Tour and two more on
the main Tour.
“It’s very hard to take” admitted the Prestwick player. “I’ve never won
out here in almost three decades and I should have taken the chance. That hurts
a lot.”
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