Montgomerie Backs Us Ploy and Lyle's Candidacy

Colin Montgomerie says Europe should respond to their loss of the Ryder Cup by adopting the United States' system of four wild-card picks instead of just the two for the captain - a job he would like to see Sandy Lyle doing at Celtic Manor in 2010.

Montgomerie considers José Maria Olazabal as the right man to take over for Medinah 2012 before the Scot himself does so at Gleneagles in 2014, when he would dump the system of 10 qualifiers and two wild cards. "If it hasn't changed by then, I'll certainly be asking for that change by the time that I possibly do this job," he said at The Belfry yesterday, ahead of this week's British Masters.

"Paul Azinger was very strong to go to the US PGA and demand a change. Having lost five of the last six a change had to be made, and I'm sure that will remain for the next captain. I think eight and four is the way to go."

Europe's next captain will probably be named in January, although the players' tournament committee will meet at next week's Dunhill Links Championship to start discussing the options. "It would be a shame if Sandy doesn't get the chance," added Montgomerie, a member of the committee. "He is the last of our five major winners of that era that hasn't yet captained the team. When you look at the candidates, it doesn't take an Einstein to work out who the next three captains could be. There is no other outstanding candidate at this time. I don't think Olazabal wants it and the others are not ready yet."

Lyle has always been popular on the Tour, winning the 1985 Open and the 1988 Masters, even if some observers doubt whether he has the leadership qualities required, while his retirement when 11 over par after 10 holes of the rain-swept first round of this year's Open at Royal Birkdale attracted plenty of criticism.

To nobody's surprise, Montgomerie added that he would have done some things differently from Nick Faldo at Valhalla last week, where Europe lost 16½-11½ in the first of the events the Scot has missed since 1989. "If possibly our three strongest players had been playing higher up they absolutely would have been included in the shake-up of what happened," he said.

Lee Westwood, fourth in the Order of Merit and winner at The Belfry last year, and Graham McDowell, sixth, are the only two of last week's team on duty this week. "We were very conscious that it might not get to the bottom matches [at Valhalla]," McDowell said. "When we saw the draw we were happy. Obviously it didn't [work out], so it was the wrong line-up."

Back on course

Where the Ryder Cup players are teeing off today

British Masters The Belfry

Europe Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood

The Tour Championship Atlanta

Europe Sergio García

United States Chad Campbell, Stewart Cink, Hunter Mahan, Kenny Perry, Steve Stricker, Phil Mickelson, Ben Curtis, Justin Leonard, Anthony Kim, Jim Furyk