Colin Montgomerie singles out the best clutch putter from both Ryder Cup teams

Colin Montgomerie is no stranger to pressure moments in the Ryder Cup, as he holed the winning putt for Bernhard Langer’s team at Oakland Hills in 2004.

The Scotsman was also the player who secured the crucial half point at Valderrama in 1997, helping Seve Ballesteros’ side reach 14.5 points and take home the trophy.

That kind of experience makes him a good judge when it comes to identifying who might be best under pressure this time around.

In Montgomerie’s view, Tyrrell Hatton is the one with the most potential to thrive under pressure among all the 24 players.

Colin Montgomerie asked which player might struggle on the first tee

Montgomerie is no stranger to the pressure that comes with playing in front of an American crowd during the Ryder Cup, too.

He went through a tough experience in 1999 at The Country Club, where Payne Stewart eventually conceded Montgomerie’s putt on the final hole, giving Europe a rare point on a difficult day.

So, in that same interview with the BBC, the 62-year-old was asked who might struggle under pressure when stepping up to the first tee. He chose not to name anyone specifically but did give an answer.

“One of the American rookies,” he stated.

The nerves that come with that opening shot are hard to fully grasp. Even Tiger Woods handed Bryson DeChambeau the honours when they played together at Le Golf National in Paris back in 2018.