New European Tour Group role for 'loyal' Colin Montgomerie

The 62-year-old has been appointed on the back of being “one of the most successful and influential players of his generation” and is set to “bring immense experience of all aspects of the Tour and the game of golf to the boardroom”.

Montgomerie, who won 31 times on what was known as the European Tour at the time before being rebranded as the DP World Tour, is delighted to have joined a board that is headed by Eric Nicoli as the chairman and also includes Abdulla Al Naboodah, Penny Avis, Martha Brass, Martin Gilbert and Jay Monahan.

“I am very much looking forward to joining the board of the European Tour Group and I consider it a great honour to be asked,” said the eight-time Ryder Cup player and winning captain at Celtic Manor in Wales in 2010;

“I pride myself in the fact that I was always one hundred per cent loyal to the tour in my playing days, and indeed I continue to be so. These are interesting times in professional golf and I hope I will be able to support, encourage and assist the Tour going forward in any way I can.”

A winner of more than 50 professional tournaments worldwide, Montgomerie was crowned as European No 1 an incredible seven times in a row between 1993 and 1999 before also lifting the Harry Vardon Trophy again in 2005.

On the back of four triumphs in a row, Rory McIlroy has now won the Race to Dubai title seven times and is bidding to equal Montgomerie’s record this year, though current leader Patrick Reed is doing his best to stop that from happening.

‘Knowledge of game is unparalleled’

“I’m delighted to welcome Colin to our board of directors,” said Nicoli, who works closely with Guy Kinnings, Montgomerie’s long-time manager and now the European Tour Group’s CEO.

“His playing record speaks for itself and his knowledge of the game gleaned from almost 40 years as a professional is unparalleled. I know he will be an important asset for us as we continue to develop all aspects of the European Tour Group moving forward.”

Montgomerie’s first board meeting will be on Monday, when he will join fellow winning Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn in addition to former Tour colleagues Paul Eales, Chris Hanell, Grégory Havret, David Howell and Robert Lee as Tournament Committee Directors. He will replace Ove Sellberg, who will stand down through the board’s rotational system.