Montgomerie: 2010 target

I do feel I have not played my last Ryder Cup, but I have to get my consistent game back.

Colin Montgomerie
Quotes of the week

YOUR RYDER CUP CHANNEL
Sky Sports has got every angle of the 2008 Ryder Cup covered including:
- All the build-up to the big event
- Exclusively live coverage - also in High Definition - of all three days at Valhalla
- Interactive TV options including a live scoreboard, highlights and course guide
- Live scores and commentary through skysports.com
- Expert analysis and reaction
- Extensive highlights of every day's play

Also see

• Sky Sports schedule
• Team profiles
• History
• Valhalla interactive

Colin Montgomerie has admitted he did not expect to receive one of Nick Faldo's two wildcard picks, but insists his Ryder Cup career is not over.

Montgomerie, who has made eight appearances for Europe in the event, will this year miss his first match since making his debut in 1991.

His pedigree led most to assume he was in the shake-up for one of Faldo's two picks which ultimately went to Paul Casey and Ian Poulter.

However, the Scot has now revealed he thinks he was maybe fourth or even fifth on Faldo's shortlist with the likes of Darren Clarke and possibly even Carl Pettersson likely to have been ahead of him.

"Always you hope you might get picked because we all know what credentials I can bring to the Ryder Cup, but I think I was even fourth or fifth on the list," he claimed.

Having missed out on the team for Valhalla some observers feel Montgomerie might now have played his match for Europe in the tournament.

Indeed, having confirmed his wildcard picks, Faldo conceded he felt Monty's prospects of qualifying for the 2010 team were bleak, stating: "Monty is 45 and it's a tougher push now. I'm not saying any more than that, but it could inspire those guys to want to make the (2010) team or they might start thinking of a captain role."

Determination

But the Scot, who is expected to be Europe's captain when the match is staged in Scotland at Gleneagles in 2014, shrugged off such thinking and outlined his determination to make the European side for the match at Celtic Manor in two years time.

"I do feel I have not played my last Ryder Cup, but I have to get my consistent game back," Montgomerie said.

"It will be harder next time, so I have to raise the bar as well. But I am determined to do that.

"I think he (Faldo) picked the two players he thought would get the most points. Let's hope they do.

"I would not say it's going to be punishment watching them. I will look forward to it - to see how people react and to learn how I might do it in the future."