Monty backs Westwood to win a major

Former European number one Colin Montgomerie can empathise with Lee Westwood after another major near-miss but believes the Englishman deserves to join golf's elite.

Westwood saw his two-shot final-round lead evaporate at The Open at Muirfield as Phil Mickelson came through the field to win his fifth major.

His English rival is still searching for his first and has assumed Montgomerie's mantle as the best player never to win a major.

A couple of years ago the Scot suggested time was running out for one of the stars of his Ryder Cup team but even though Westwood turned 40 this year, Montgomerie believes he still has a chance.

"He is fitter and stronger than he's ever been and it was very difficult not to feel sorry for Lee on Sunday if you are a Westwood fan, as I happen to be," he said.

"Phil Mickelson is well over 40 and he's winning majors. What I said (previously) was there was less time (for him to win) but he has proven again that he is knocking on the door and let's hope one day it opens for him.

"If anyone deserves one ahead of anyone else it is Lee Westwood, the best player in the world never to have won a major.

"Let's hope he can put it behind him, gain from that experience and move on to the US PGA (next month) and try again. You have to pick up the pieces and start again.

"His strength let him down (at Muirfield) at the end of the day. He holed a lot of putts to keep him in there but his game tee-to-green let him down unfortunately.

"I've been in that position myself and you know someone in those last groups was going to shoot a low score and you have to try to counteract that. I just wish him well at the US PGA."