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Jacklin: Monty not worthy of Hall of Fame

For all his European Tour and Ryder Cup exploits, Colin Montgomerie never won a major or a US event © Getty Images

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Colin Montgomerie has been deemed unworthy of a place in the World Golf Hall of Fame by fellow former European Ryder Cup captain and Hall of Famer Tony Jacklin.

Montgomerie, a 31-time winner on the European Tour who claimed the tour's Order of Merit eight times and is regarded as one of the greatest Ryder Cup players in history, will be inducted alongside American Fred Couples on Monday, despite having never won a major and never won a tournament in the United States.

And Jacklin has endorsed the views of four-time major champion Raymond Floyd, who in February told Golf magazine that he believes two majors ought to be the benchmark for consideration for Hall of Fame status to maintain its integrity.

"It's hard to disagree with Raymond," Jacklin, who won two majors and 23 tournaments during his career, told the Florida Times-Union. "I vote on the basis of who's worthy and there's always majors in it for me."

Montgomerie finished runner-up at major championships on five occasions, but the former world No. 2's Ryder Cup record - five victories as a player, a sixth as captain, unbeaten in eight singles matches - look to have sealed his election in the eyes of his peers, albeit by 51% - a record low poll for a Hall of Fame inductee.

But Jacklin, who captained Europe four times between 1983 and 1989, disputes the importance of the team competition when it comes to electing an individual to the Hall of Fame.

"He won't be remembered for the Ryder Cup when he's dead and buried," Jacklin said. "It will just be something that happened in a Ryder Cup. I understand he has a fantastic record and is a great player but he should have won majors."

Couples' election has also been criticised. The 1992 Masters champion is just the third player inducted through the PGA Tour ballot with a single major victory, with two-time major champion Mark O'Meara and Davis Love III, who also has a single major to his name but a better tournament record, missing out.

World rankings: 1. Tiger Woods (USA), 2. Rory McIlroy (NIR), 3. Adam Scott (AUS), 4. Justin Rose (ENG), 5. Luke Donald (ENG), 6. Brandt Snedeker (USA) 7. Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), 8. Graeme McDowell (NIR), 9. Steve Stricker (USA), 10. Phil Mickelson (USA), 11. Matt Kuchar (USA), 12. Lee Westwood (ENG), 13. Ian Poulter (ENG), 14. Keegan Bradley (USA), 15. Sergio Garcia (ESP), 16. Charl Schwartzel (RSA), 17. Bubba Watson (USA), 18. Webb Simpson (USA), 19. Dustin Johnson (USA), 20. Jason Dufner (USA).

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