Golf: Monty must aim high for Masters bid

Mar 19 2008 by Our Correspondent, Western Mail

THE best golfers in the world are in Miami this week – and Colin Montgomerie has to beat all but three of them to qualify for next month’s Masters.

A missed cut in last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational has left Montgomerie 66th in the rankings and means he needs a top-four finish in this week’s World Golf Championships at Doral to climb into the top 50.

Ulsterman Graeme McDowell, meanwhile, requires a top-five placing after climbing up to 59th with his victory at the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea at the weekend.

Even if they achieve their targets, the pair will have to wait another week to see if they have done enough. The cut-off point for Augusta is March 31.

This week’s field is headed, of course, by Tiger Woods – and he is seeking an eighth successive victory and a 10th in 11 starts since The Open last July. He is also the defending champion.

McDowell was making the final leg of his marathon journey from Korea to Miami yesterday and hoping that jetlag would not be too much of a factor come tomorrow’s opening round.

Because of media commitments, he missed his planned flight on Sunday night. So instead he left Jeju Island at 7am on Monday, with connections to Seoul and Chicago before arriving in Orlando 6pm last night – after 18 hours of travelling.

He was due to spend this week in Florida even before his win because he is one of the participants in the Tavistock Cup match next Monday and Tuesday.