'India must have more golf courses'

New Delhi: Colin Montgomerie is renowned for both his extraordinary Ryder Cup performances as well as the dubious distinction of being one of the most accomplished players to have never won a major Championship. He shared his plans for overtaking Tiger Woods, winning the Ryder Cup and getting married again, with CNN-IBN's Himanshu Singhal.

CNN-IBN: You have played about 3-4 tournaments so far this year. What is your assessment of 2008 so far?

Colin Montgomerie: Well! It is still very young, obviously. We are just in February and I have only played 3-4 times and it has not been bad. I have had couple of top 10s and I am trying to raise my ranking position. I started in the year at 60s and now I am in the 50s. We have to progress forward as we had a bad season last year and we will have to try and progress this year. The start has been ok so far.

CNN-IBN: Tell us something about your Ryder Cup plans and of course you big plans about making a comeback into the top 50 rankings.

Colin Montgomerie: Yes, Ryder Cup and everyone's get talking. It is India and you are talking to me about Ryder Cup, it is amazing - the interest that it has around the world. I have played my 8th Ryder Cup last year and I wish to play in my 9th as well. I would love to be in the European winning team again.

CNN-IBN: Is there any plans of designing a golf course in India?

Colin Montgomerie: I would love to, one day. And let us hope in the near future because we will have to give opportunity to your youngsters here. I was playing with the Chairman of the Indigo Federation and he was saying that in one school alone there were 15,000 youngsters wanting to play the game of golf. And they are not being able to as the golf course aren't just available. So, we have to give more opportunities to the youngsters and also to the businessmen and businesswomen alike to play the game. So, I would love to design a course in India. I have many courses in Asia and Middle East onwards but not yet in India. And I would love to do that.

CNN-IBN: You have been following Indian golf from close quarter for some time now. What is your assessment of the Indian golf and how do you think that the Indian golf can improve itself?

Colin Montgomerie: Lots been done already. You have winners on the European tour now. So, there are people who the youngsters already look up to, like Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa and other good players. They are working very hard but we need more golf courses. There are only a dozen of golf courses here in Delhi for nearly 20 million people, which is simply isn't enough. So, we have to build more and we have to give more opportunities to the youngsters to see, because without opportunity we can't find out who is good. There can be 50 youngsters out there in school who could be next Tiger Woods. But we don't know and without opportunities, we can't find that out. So, we have to give these kids more opportunities and build more golf courses.

CNN-IBN: You are here in India for some time now, so what is your assessment of the spicy Indian cuisines - things that you have tasted so far and the things that you are looking forward to tasting?

Colin Montgomerie: I have couple of curries already, which are a lot more spicier than what we have back home. But the food here is good and is very much healthier than what we have back home in Britain.

CNN-IBN: You of course like Indian food but what are your other big passion that you share with the Indians' cricket. Tell us about that one Indian cricketer you always follow.

Colin Montgomerie: Tendulkar of course. Anybody with that record and to see the ball so early is amazing. I always had a difficulty with fast bowlers. To get into position - whether I go back or forward and it was always difficult for me but to see the ball so early is an incredible talent and he has that and he has proved that over the years.

CNN-IBN: Tell us something about your aim for the rest of the year, especially your marriage.

Colin Montgomerie: Yes, I am getting married in two months time and I am looking forward to that in Scotland. I am very very happy off the course and that helps me on the course. I have to gain as many world points as I can on the course to grab up the world ranking under the year to help Europe win the Ryder Cup again. So, looking forward to that.

CNN-IBN: You are also one of the accomplished players to have never won a major championship. Does that bother you a bit?

Colin Montgomerie: Not really. It can't. If it did, I wouldn't sleep at night. I can't worry about that too much and I just do my best and if I have done my best, that is fine and if someone beats me, unfortunately that is the case - I was second to Tiger Woods in the British Open and a number of times to someone else. But you say, 'Its Ok, Well Done!' You shake hands and go. But I will keep trying, believe me. I will play in another 20 majors in my span for playing golf and hopefully, one of those days I will walk through the close doors, hopefully. But right now it doesn't affect me.

CNN-IBN: Thanks so much for talking to us.

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)

#golf #interview #Colin Montgomerie