• PGA Tour

Monty accuses Woods of showing mental fragility

ESPN staff
August 6, 2010
Tiger Woods is in danger of being usurped as world No. 1 © Getty Images
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Colin Montgomerie believes that Tiger Woods is "not mentally with it right now" as he sees his grip loosen on the world No. 1 spot.

Woods' 270-week spell on top of the rankings looks set to come to an end after he carded a four-over 74 on the first day at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational that should prove fatal to his chances of victory.

The 14-time Major winner is now in grave danger of being overtaken by Phil Mickelson or Lee Westwood as world No. 1 ahead of the US PGA Championship, which begins next week.

But European captain Montgomerie insists that the bigger concern for Tiger is that he is currently not guaranteed a place in the American Ryder Cup team for the October tournament.

"He's not mentally with it right now, that's obvious," Montgomerie said to Sky Sports News. "I hope he gets back to some form shortly. He lost the world No. 1 spot to Vijay Singh a while back and didn't like that very much and got it back. This won't please him at all.

"But more importantly right now for Tiger is thinking about the Ryder Cup, he's not in the top eight of their qualifying. It doesn't look like he's going to be in the top eight after this event anyway and that makes the US PGA a very important event for him next week.

"Does Corey Pavin take a chance hoping Tiger's form will change before the Ryder Cup? That's up to him and not us."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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