The wrong kind of Swede, a non-Ryder Cup one, won the Lancome Trophy at St-NomLa-Breteche yesterday. Pierre Fulke, whose maiden victory this was, holed a 20-foot putt on the last green for a birdie and a one-shot win over Ignacio Garrido, once a Ryder Cupper but now not.
Fulke's final round was four-under-par 67, for a total of 270, 14-under par, while looking on, and barely able to contain his fury, was the man who had been the odds-on favourite to win after three rounds, Colin Montgomerie.
The Scot, speaking through clenched teeth, said: "That was the best round of golf I have played in my life. It was better than at Loch Lomond (where he compiled a 64). I hit every green - but of course you take that for granted - and then I had 35 putts. I had just one single putt, on the fourth, and then I hit the ball close all the way and nothing went in, nothing. Putting can be a real puzzle."
It was much the same last week when he entered the last round of the British Masters at Woburn with a three-stroke lead, but claiming at the same time that he really had not putted all that well. He then proceeded to putt positively badly, to finish only second to Bob May.
Watching Fulke have only 28 putts did not help Montgomerie's temper and he would not have enjoyed the admission by the Swede afterwards that "I don't know how some of Monty's putts stayed out of the hole. If a few of them had gone in he would have been the man to catch."
The Scot brought five putters with him to Paris, and also the three different grips he uses at various times, but nothing worked to his satisfaction. Even before yesterday he was threatening to take at least seven putters to the Ryder Cup, but perhaps British Airways should be bracing themselves for some extra baggage this morning on the flight to Boston.
Despite his misery, Montgomerie headed the Ryder Cup contingent with his 12 under, with Jarmo Sandelin taking 69 for 10 under and Miguel Angel Jimenez a disappointing 74, to be eight under. Paul Lawrie, with a 68, finished six under, Jean van de Velde four under and, after a double-bogey at the last, Jose Maria Olazabal had a 73 to be two under. That was beaten by his captain, Mark James, whose 68 took him to four under, and there is little doubt that his skills and fighting qualities on the course will be missed at Brookline.
He was, however, the only possible choice for captain this time around, although yesterday he ruled out the possibility of doing it again in 2001.
Meanwhile his counterpart, Ben Crenshaw, was belying his Gentle Ben image once again and going about the business of reuniting his team by the best way he knows - straight talking.
Ever since Tiger Woods, Mark O'Meara, Phil Mickelson and David Duval made it known that they wanted to be paid for playing, and Duval added that as there was no prize money at the end of it, it must be an exhibition, Crenshaw has barely been able to bring himself to speak to them.
Yesterday he said: "We are playing for our souls. We have lost the last two times and this is one we must win. It is extremely important that every member of the team knows why he is there. If anyone thinks this is a picnic, they are in the wrong place."
