MY FRIEND, BRIAN, who supplies photography for this blog, is sticking up for Monty after my post about the most overrated tour players. This is bumped up from the comments section, with Brian’s permission:
Sorry, I know it’s not your list but a Scotsman is about to defend another Scotsman!
Colin Montgomerie is not and could never be considered “overrated.” In fact, I am not sure any of those guys could. Maybe not lived up to their expectations, or, as another said, underachieved. Yes, maybe.
Someone who topped the European Tour eight times cannot be overrated!
What about golfers who have freak wins at majors of whom we hear very little or see winning again consistently at the highest levels? Surely, they are the overrated ones. I can think of Paul Lawrie as an example close to home. I am sure there are other closer to home for you. Ben Curtis, maybe?
Monty was a consistent winner and, yes, never cut it in the United States. But then again he never did a Sergio, or a Rose, or a Parnevik, and moved over and tried to make his living on the PGA Tour. He stayed loyal to the European circuit.
To call him overrated seems typical of the disrespectful attitude towards him from certain parts of the American media and public, who, let’s face it, don’t like him. Hence the Mrs. Doubtfire tag.
No one needs to remind him he has never won a major. Believe me, he gets reminded about it every day over here. Would he swap his eight European Order of Merits for one U.S. Open and golfing obscurity thereafter? Not sure.
Winning a major does not get you guaranteed respect over here. Who do you think is more respected in golf, Montgomerie or Lawrie?
I’ll take that last question. Monty. It’s a no brainer.
−The Armchair Golfer
Related:
Will Faldo Pick Montgomerie for Ryder Cup Team?
Colin Montgomerie Is Feeling Old
Monty’s just never really done much to endear himself to American golf fans. He comes across as whiny and moody. His right of course. I would guess that’s how he is everywhere. There’s no questioning his accomplishments, although through the years he’s played the American tour is accepted as the better competition.
I’ll pay close attention to that lout Faldo’s Ryder Cup picks, re: Monty. Should make for some interesting sound bites. Faldo’s polished his act for TV, but I’ve no doubt he’s despicable as ever inside.
One of the reasons that the Americans don’t like Monty is probably because of his excellent record at the Ryder Cup that has helped Europe win 5 out of the 8 times that he participated.
As a Scot myself, we have had precious few golfers to cheer on; Monty has done a good job over the years as an Ambassador for Scottish golf.
Although Monty hasn’t won a major, he has won 7 Order of Merits. Pretty good stuff.
Ben Curtis isn’t overrated. He’s underrated. He finished 8th at The Open Championship last year, and has won 2 PGA Tour events after his Open Championship win in 2003.
I say he’s underrated because everyone in the golf world stated Curtis would never be heard from again; that his win was a fluke. He still doesn’t really get much attention press, but he’s proven the 2003 Open Championship win wasn’t a fluke despite the entire golfing world saying otherwise.
Monty, on the other hand, has (had?) huge expectations heaped on him from the golfing world from winning the 7 Order of Merits. Rightly so, but with all the attention coming from winning on the European Tour, Monty hasn’t ever won a major…which is what’s been expected. It’s all about the majors, and in the last major he had an opportunity to win, the 2006 US Open, Monty puked on his shoes.
In my book, it’s what you do with the expectations laid at your feet. There is a big difference between measuring talent between two players and measuring the success they’ve had based on the evaluation of their talent.
So to sum up this incredibly long comment, do I think Monty is a more talented and/or accomplished player than Ben Curtis? Absolutely. Is Monty a more overrated player than Ben Curtis? There isn’t a doubt in my mind.
Please allow me to add something else. A player of Monty’s caliber–7 Order of Merits and being nearly invincible in Ryder Cup matches–should be capable of parring the 72nd hole at a major (2006 US Open at Winged Foot) from the middle of the fairway to get into a playoff.
That’s some serious underachieving there, my friends. If you’re an underachiever, you’re overrated. If you’re an overachiever, you’re underrated.