Montgomerie: Angry with tournament organisers
Colin Montgomerie is up in arms over a decision by the Masters organisers to offer some players a place in the Augusta field based purely on televsion rights.
The Scot, twice a runner up in the event, failed to qualify this year after slipping back to 75 in the world rankings and thus failing to make the top 50 who qualified after last week's cut-off date.
Monty will now have to watch the season's first major on TV for only the second time in 17 years, but says that even if he had made it this year, he would still have voiced his disapproval of a situation he insists is unfair to players outside of Asia.
"No, there has been no call from Augusta," he shot back at reporters questioning him at the weekend.
"But then I wasn't expecting one. There are enough Brits in the field so there won't be a call.
"Now, if I were the only person in the country, à la China, I might get in.
Strange
"It's a strange way to make up a field for a major championship - TV rights.
"They (Augusta National Golf Club) are quite open about why, just as they were when I missed out last time in 2005, when they picked Shingo Katayama, then 67th in the world.
"I was 51st at the time," he continued.
"They picked him over me for the Japanese TV rights. And they have done the same with Thailand and China this time. It does seem a strange way of doing things for a major.
"Let me tell you, I am not the only one who feels this way. In or not, I would be saying the same thing.
"It is a strange criteria to pick a major field without a qualification system. To be invited into a major is a big deal.
"It (The Masters) is the only one you can get invited to - you don't get an invite to The Open or the US Open or the USPGA. You have to qualify. But the Masters has its own rules.
"It would be easier to swallow if no one was invited and the entry list was based on sporting and not commercial criteria."
