COLIN Montgomerie has questioned Nick Faldo's captaincy of the European team at the Ryder Cup, suggesting that the Englishman could have done better in Kentucky.
Asked if he thought Faldo got the best of the team beaten by five points at Valhalla Montgomerie, not part of the action for the first time since 1989, replied: "Possibly not."
The eight-time European No 1, who could have gone past Faldo's cup poi
nts record if he had been given a wild card, gave the broadest hint that he thought Faldo putting Open and PGA champion Padraig Harrington out last in the singles was the biggest mistake.
"It occurred to me (when he saw the order) that unfortunately Poulter, Westwood, Harrington are possibly our three strongest players and they might not be – might be, but might not be – involved in the final shake-up.
"Play them earlier and they would have been involved 100 per cent."
In a wide-ranging press briefing at the Belfry ahead of the Quinn Direct British Masters, which starts today, Montgomerie also gave his backing to fellow Scot Sandy Lyle for Europe's 2010 Ryder Cup captaincy.
With Europe's players meeting next week at the Dunhill Links Championship to discuss possible captains, Montgomerie will urge them to pledge their support for Lyle.
"There is no other outstanding candidate at this time," said Montgomerie, who hopes to be captain when the match is held at Gleneagles in 2014. "I don't think (Jose Maria) Olazabal wants it and the others are not ready yet."
The full article contains 262 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
