He has won more than 20 European Tour titles and has featured in five Ryder Cup teams
He has won more than 20 European Tour titles and has featured in five Ryder Cup teams since 1991. The highlights of his 2001 campaign were victories in the Ericsson Masters in Australia and the Irish Open at Fota Island. In 1999 Monty extended his unbeaten Ryder Cup singles record when he defeated the late Payne Stewart on the last green. Earlier he had partnered Paul Lawrie in the foursomes and fourballs, emerging with two wins, a half and one defeat.
On the Cup’s last visit to The Belfry eight years ago, Montgomerie was junior partner to Nick Faldo. If his back stands up to it this time he willbe the man the other Europeans will be looking to for leadership and inspiration. PIERRE FULKE Country: Sweden Date of birth: 21.02.71 Birthplace: Nykoping Majors: none Career victories: 5 Victories this season: none World ranking: 90th Ryder Cup record: none Qualifying position: 5th Pierre Fulke’s win in the 2000 Volvo Masters propelled the Swede to the head of the Ryder Cup standings for 2001. It was a position he consolidated in January 2001 by finishing second behind Steve Stricker in the World Matchplay Championship in Melbourne.
With his place for the 2001 Ryder Cup virtually wrapped up in the opening exchanges, Fulke then experienced a dip in form, failing to make the cut in five of seven tournaments leading up to the Open. However, on the big stage at Royal Lytham in the 2001 Open, Fulke recovered his game. Prominent on the leaderboard throughout the first 54 holes, he blew a top-10 finish by shooting an 83, 12 over par, in the final round Fulke’s form this season has not been too convincing. Up until a fortnight before the Ryder Cup, his best tournament finish was a second place at the Johnnie Walker Classic in January.
However, a sixth place at the USPGA Championship last month will have provided timely encouragement for Fulke, the son of a national swimming champion, in the lead up to the Ryder Cup. What is certain is that the Swede’s performance at matchplay in Melbourne will have given Sam Torrance a degree of confidence that Fulke can still be a useful member of his Ryder Cup team. LEE WESTWOOD Country: England Date of birth: 24.04.73 Birthplace: Worksop Majors: none Career victories: 24 Victories this season: none World ranking: 129th Ryder Cup record: 1997, 1999 P10 W4 H0 L6. Qualifying position: 6th A qualifying position of sixth in the race for the 2001 Ryder Cup would have pleased many golfers but for Lee Westwood, who ended Colin Montgomerie’s seven-year run at the Order of Merit apex in 2000, it was an achievement tempered by a large dash of disappointment.