Monty Looking for Shot That Got Away in Shanghai

Colin Montgomerie is returning to the BMW Asian Open this week looking for the single stroke that denied him victory at last year’s event.

Monty will be joining a number of big names – among them South Africans Ernie Els and Masters joint runner-up Reteif Goosen, American John Daly and England’s Paul Casey – as the European Tour stays in Shanghai, China for the second straight week following the Volvo China Open.

The Scot finished third last year, one stroke behind Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, who won the tournament in a play-off against Henrik Stenson. Montgomerie, who believes the par-72, 7,326-yard Tomson course suits his game, was quoted on the Asian Tour website as saying:

“You can think of one shot you can save every three holes, let alone over 72 holes so that is one of the reasons I have come back here, to try and do better.”

Fernandez-Castano, meanwhile, has fond memories of his victory at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club, having used the occasion to tell the world that he had proposed to then girlfriend Alicia. After marrying in November, the couple returned to Shanghai for their honeymoon as the groom played in the HSBC Champions tournament. The Spaniard said:

“I have great memories. Walking the back nine this morning, I could remember every shot that I hit during the final round. Shanghai is a special town for me and I wanted Alicia to come here this week as it’s not very often you’re at a tournament as the defending champion.”

Els is coming off a strong runner-up finish at the Verizon Heritage tournament at Hilton Head Island.


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