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Colin Montgomerie believes this year’s US Open venue Oakmont remains as “brutal” as it was for his painful play-off loss in 1994.<\/b><\/p>\n
The Pennsylvania course, nicknamed ‘The Beast’, hosts the tournament for a record 10th time when play gets under way on Thursday.<\/p>\n
“It was brutal then,” Montgomerie said, reflecting on his close call 31 years ago.<\/p>\n
The Scot surged into a second-round lead with a fantastic 65 and finished tied the regulation 72 holes for top spot on five under par with Ernie Els and Loren Roberts.<\/p>\n
However, the former European Ryder Cup captain started badly on his way to a 78 in a fifth full round played on the Monday, with Els needing two additional holes to see off Roberts.<\/p>\n
It was the first of five runner-up finishes in major championships for Montgomerie, with the sport’s top four prizes eluding him.<\/p>\n
“The USGA have gone back to a US Open of the 90s, which was hit the fairway, that’s number one,” the 61-year-old said of this week’s competition.<\/p>\n
“It’s the guy that’s going to play the full game of golf – which means the driver, the iron play, the chipping and the putting – that’s going to win.<\/p>\n
“Sometimes these events are more a putting competition. This isn’t. This is the full game of golf. Just looking at some of the pictures, it looks absolutely brutal.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n