Volvo China Open debutant Colin Montgomerie marches on to his 500th European Tour start this week before playing in Beijing at the national open golf championship of China.
With 500 European Tour championships behind him, including 31 victories on the circuit he dominated for more than a decade, the 2010 European Ryder Cup captain, affectionately known as "Monty", begins his second 500 events from today with a maiden appearance in the 2009 Volvo China Open in Beijing.
With nine Volvo-sponsored titles already to his name, Monty will make his bid for a tenth with a maiden Volvo China Open victory.
The Great Scotsman says he has three clear reasons for teeing off at the Beijing CBD International Golf Club from April 16-19.
"First, the new qualifying criteria (for the Volvo World Match Play Championship) will certainly make it tough for me to qualify, but you can be sure I'll be doing all I can to secure my place in the field, starting at the Volvo China Open," he says, aware the winner gains automatic entry into the 16-man field for the world's most enduring match play championship.
The 45-year-old's second reason for entering the Beijing showpiece is an early opportunity to run the rule over potential Ryder Cup prospects.
"I think it's a great opportunity of mine to captain players that I have competed with and will compete with over the next year and a half," he said.
"I've been listening and taking heed of what the players have been saying, and I can continue to do that by playing alongside the guys who will form the nucleus of my team to take on the USA in Wales next year."
Monty's third big reason for playing in the Volvo China Open is his exemplary record in Volvo-sponsored events.
"I have won nine of them if I remember correctly, of which I am very proud and of course I won the Volvo Order of Merit for seven successive years, and I think the European Tour has a great deal to be grateful to Volvo for over the past 21 years."
(China Daily April 16, 2009)
