SOME HAVE SPECULATED WHEN Colin Montgomerie will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Monty was on the 2009 International Ballot but didn’t receive enough support. (There are two ballots: the PGA Tour Ballot and the International Ballot for players who spent most of their careers competing outside the United States.)
“With the open-door policy that the WGHF [World Golf Hall of Fame] seems to have, Montgomerie will one day be enshrined,” wrote GolfChannel.com managing editor Mercer Baggs last month. “But he wouldn’t get my vote.”
Baggs’ knock on Colin is his lack of a major title and no PGA Tour wins.
Monty’s career numbers are impressive: 31 European Tour wins, eight Order of Merit money titles (including seven straight) and a 20-9-7 career record in the Ryder Cup. Only Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer have won more Ryder Cup points for the Europeans.
I can look past Monty’s lack of success on the PGA Tour. He dominated the European Tour, and that’s his home turf. The hole in his resume is the zero majors. Fellow international player José Maria Olazábal, who was inducted this year, won two majors, both Green Jackets. Ollie also had 21 European Tour wins and six PGA Tour titles. He was an airtight choice.
Monty came agonizingly close to winning at three U.S. Opens, lost a playoff to Steve Elkington in the 1995 PGA Championship, and flirted with the Claret Jug in 2005. Just one of those would have put him into the Hall with ease. As it is, he’ll have to wait longer and endure more debate.
−The Armchair Golfer
(Image: Steve Newton/Flickr)
Interesting debate. Being British I am a little biased – but I can see why Jose would and Monty wouldn't.
It beg's the question, because Monty has undoubtedly been an incredibly successful player, who else is missing of that kind of stature in the game?
When he won all those European Tour Order of Merits he was such a dominating force in the European game. He also really comes into his own in the Ryder Cup.
So I can see why he's not in – but I personally can't think of a closer runner up/nearly made it…
I think his performance in the Ryder Cup alone qualifies him for the hall of fame.
I expect Monty will make into the Hall. I agree that his Ryder Cup record is an important factor.