COLIN MONTGOMERIE is back in the running for the Ryder Cup – but that was not the big news from the French Open this weekend.
Although Montgomerie's second place in France warranted headlines, signalling that even at 45 it would be wrong to write him off, the performance of the winner totally overshadowed everything else.
Spain's Pablo Larrazabal is his name and if you
have not heard of him before then worry not – nor had Montgomerie.
Ranked 481st in the world before his stunning four-stroke victory at Le Golf National, the 25-year-old from Barcelona bagged the massive £527,800 first prize in fairytale fashion to move in to the world's top 150.
The European Tour rookie did not even have a place in the event until he won a qualifier two weeks ago and his main claim to fame previously was that he caddied for his older brother Alejandro, British amateur champion in 2002, in The Open and then The Masters the following year.
Yet, with nothing better than a 15th place in his previous 16 Tour starts, he led from start to finish and left not only eight-time European No.1 Montgomerie, but also US Open nearly man Lee Westwood trailing in his wake.
"Forgive me for not knowing the winner's name, let's just call him Pablo, but he has a great future ahead of him, the kid," said Montgomerie, whose own display was a much-needed boost to his confidence ahead of his European Open title defence at The London Club in Kent this week.
"Good luck to him. The flags were no 'gimmes' on the last four and he played them in two under. It's difficult to win out there and he has done it very well."
Larrazabal, suddenly in the Order of Merit top eight and the Ryder Cup race top 18, was simply stunned.
After drying himself off from being chucked into the lake next to the 18th green by fellow Spaniards he said: "I promise you I don't know what I did!
"I know that the last two rounds were probably the best golf of my life. I came here just to try to make the cut and make some Euros. In practice rounds I always play that well, but never in a tournament before. But there always has to be a first time for everything.
"Montgomerie is one of the three best players in the history of the European Tour.
"Lee Westwood finished third at the US Open. Right now I know that I can play like those guys."
Told he had qualified for the coming Open at Royal Birkdale via a mini-money list running for the last eight weeks, he looked gob-smacked.
"I am? That's amazing, I went there to caddie for my brother. That will be great, but no Tiger so it will be easier to win!" he joked.
"Be careful the European Team for the Ryder Cup!
"No, that would just be crazy, if I get in the team I'll have to cut my finger off."
Montgomerie has leapt from outside the leading 40 in the Ryder Cup table to 14th.
The full article contains 534 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
