Monty's chance to top Euro standings
Colin Montgomerie can go top of the Order of Merit with a win in the Murphy's Irish Open which starts tomorrow at Fota Island Golf Club in County Cork.
Top two Retief Goosen and Ernie Els do not return to Europe until next month's Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, so defending champion Montgomerie will take over the No1 spot if he collects the winner's cheque for £266,666.
The Scot is in fine form in Europe - having finished tied third, second, tied second and fourth in his last four starts.
A missed cut in the US Open at Bethpage was the only blot on his copybook, and after a week off he returns to action at one of his favourite events.
Victory at Fota Island last year came after he had previously completed back-to-back wins at Druid's Glen in 1996 and 1997.
An opening-day 63 put him in the driver's seat, and he had five shots in hand at the finish as he claimed his first win in 13 months.
That success saw Montgomerie equal the record of Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer who have won three Irish Opens each.
Faldo and Langer are absentees this week, but Ballesteros is back in action after a break.
