McIlroy against Woods? not for me, says Monty

The man who led the side to victory at Celtic Manor two years ago says he would try to avoid golf’s two biggest attractions going head-to-head, despite the public clamour for it.

“I would leave Woods well alone,” said Montgomerie, who will be part of the Sky Sports commentary team at Medinah.

“Don’t go anywhere near him, especially in America and playing now to a certain degree an awful lot better than he has been.

“I would want Rory to be playing someone else in the singles, if you don’t mind.

“Yes, everybody wants this to happen, but look what happened to Stephen Ames when he played Woods.”

On the eve of facing Woods at the 2006 World Match Play in California, Ames said: “Anything can happen, especially where he’s hitting the ball.”

Ames was then crushed 9&8.

“Look at what happened to Francesco Molinari when he played Woods (in Wales),” Montgomerie added.

Woods, world No 1 at the time, was a brilliant nine under par when he won 4&3 after a run that included holing out from the 12th fairway for an eagle two.

The only Ryder Cup singles Woods has lost was on his 1997 debut – Molinari’s fellow Italian Costantino Rocca beat him at Valderrama – but Davis Love would be just the second American captain to send him out first if he does so at the weekend.

Montgomerie put Lee Westwood top of his line-up two years ago, but Jose Maria Olazabal might be more tempted to go with McIlroy, not only because he is his highest-ranked player, but also because the 23-year-old Northern Irishman likes to set a quick pace.

The two captains decide their own orders, then discover who is matched with whom.

If Love names Woods first it would be an indication that he wanted him to face McIlroy and if Olazabal does the same then he clearly wants the same thing.