‘You don’t sleep at night thinking about the first shot’
He played on eight Ryder Cup teams, and captained another to victory eight years ago. Colin Montgomerie has probably forgotten more about the biennial tournament than most of his contemporaries ever knew.
So when the architect of 23.5 points for Europe – a tally only bettered by Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer – starts speaking about Sam Ryder’s famous little trophy, we should all stop and listen.
With the latest matches at Le Golf National a matter of weeks away, we quizzed Monty on building a winning team, the role of the captain and who’s going to bring home the spoils for Europe.
Watch the video above, or you can read the full interview on the next page…
Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
