Colin Montgomerie is widely considered one of the greatest players to never win a major championship.
Over the course of a brilliant career, Montgomerie notched up over 50 wins in his career and was one of the leading points scorers of all time when it came to the Ryder Cups.
Over the years, ‘Monty’ was one of the most lovable characters on both the European and PGA Tours and he’s very much respected by his peers.
However, the one stain – if we can call it that – is the fact that Montgomerie never actually got over the line in a major championship.
Instead, Montgomerie came second an agonising five times, including three times at the US Open and once apiece in The Open and the PGA Championship.
Still, while all those will hurt Montgomerie, it is his final hurrah at St Andrews and his best ever Open finish that will hurt the most.
When Tiger Woods stopped Colin Montgomerie from winning The Open
While 2005 was a good year for players like Colin Montgomerie and more, the problem they had is that they usually ended up running into a certain Tiger Woods.
Woods was arguably at his very best in ’05 and unfortunately for Montgomerie, that coincided with his best ever Open performance.
At St Andrews in 2005, Monty went into the final round three back of Woods and with Retief Goosen and Jose Maria Olazabal also in the mix with himself and Tiger.
Unfortunately, while Olazabal and Goosen faltered and Montgomerie went under par for his final round, Tiger simply turned on the class.
Woods shot a final round of 70 to add two more shots to his lead and in the end, beat out Montgomerie by five shots.
It was the last time the Scot would come so close in a major in the UK, and while he finished runner-up again at the US Open in 2006, winning at St Andrews would have capped a fine career.
When Colin Montgomerie told Tiger Woods to retire
Despite being a 15-time major champion and Montgomerie himself having none, that hasn’t stopped the Scottish golfer from trying to give Woods some advice.
Indeed, ahead of The Open at Troon in 2024, Montgomerie bluntly told Woods to retire.
“I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him. There is none of that now. At Pinehurst he did not seem to enjoy a single shot and you think, ‘What the hell is he doing?’ He’s coming to Troon and he won’t enjoy it there either,” Montgomerie said.
“Aren’t we there? I’d have thought we were past there. There is a time for all sportsmen to say goodbye, but it’s very difficult to tell Tiger it’s time to go. Obviously, he still feels he can win. We are more realistic.”
Naturally, the fighter in Woods hit back at Montgomerie, and couldn’t resist a dig at his lack of major success.
“As a past champion, I’m exempt until I’m 60. Colin is not,” said Woods.
Put simply, Woods clearly has the upper-hand over Montgomerie and while we’re sure there’s no real animosity here, it’s obvious that 2005 Open sits in the heads of both men.