Colin Montgomerie named as the 2010 Ryder Cup captain of Europe will stimulate plenty of interest.
First of all, judging by the delays in the announcement and the extra meetings required to make the decision, I feel that it is with less than incredible enthusiasm that the European Tour Players Committee [committee responsible for selecting the captain] has chosen Colin.
Now - that said - what are we in store for in the next 18 months?
Monty will bring an enthusiasm and will to win that will be unsurpassed, I will not go so far as to say unmatched, as I think the US Captain, Corey Pavin is certainly equal to the task. Colin has always loved the Ryder Cup, and his passion will be evident.
But Colin is still an active player comfortable in the ‘me first’ mode who will need to transform that attitude into one of taking care of others and making decisions based on what is best for the team.
Just hazarding a guess will not be in his makeup, he will be a very hands-on leader, not unlike Severiano Ballesteros at Valderamma. I don’t think it is in Montgomerie’s nature to sit in a buggy and just watch things transpire, as Nick Faldo did in 2008.
The choice of Montgomerie was not a surprise, as it was either going to be 2010 or 2014, as most of the insiders felt he was not suited for a match on American soil. Monty has never had a great rapport with the Americans, and having him captain the European Team on home soil is a wise move.
That said, there is no love lost between Monty and the Americans, so I feel he will not only bring out the best in the European Team, but the American Team as well!