Monty Matchplay Memory: The Conceded Putt

By Colin Montgomerie

08 July 2010 16:51

EVENT: The 1999 Ryder Cup at Brookline.

RESULT: Halved match against Payne Stewart.

THE STORY: A month before his death in a plane crash, Payne Stewart played in the Ryder Cup at Brookline. Thought by some in the early days to be a loud-mouthed patriot, he was appalled by the abuse that Montgomerie received that day. Stewart waded into the crowd to have hecklers thrown out and, sickened by what he had seen over 18 holes, picked up Monty’s ball on the last to concede the hole, saying: “That will do us.” For a long time Monty kept a photo from that day, and wrote in his autobiography: “Every time I pull it out I think back to the moment Payne gave me the match and how fragile life can be.”

MONTY’S MATCHPLAY TIP: They’d won the Ryder Cup by then, so a lot of people would have just said that’s it, but we played to a finish. This, of course, was Payne’s last game in matchplay, which was a terrible, terrible tragedy. I remember him saying, after he won the US Open that year, “I’m in the Ryder Cup”, it meant that much to him. Then, he goes and gives me a putt on the last. Now, if there was a tip to be had from conceding putts then I suppose I’d say that you ought to be consistent. I think you should always expect to have to hole everything. I would always look at my opponent and if he looks back at me as he walks up to his three-footer, then make him have to hole it. If he’s looked at you, it generally means he’s hoping you’ll let him have it.