Monty in Jakarta with Masters on his mind<\/p>\n
Reuters, London<\/p>\n
Britain's Colin Montgomerie is under pressure to win this
\nweek's Indonesian Open in Jakarta to make virtually certain he
\navoids missing the U.S. Masters for the first time since 1991.<\/p>\n
The seven-time European number one, 54th in the official world
\nrankings, needs to move back into the top 50 by March 28 to book
\na place in the field at Augusta National in Georgia next month.<\/p>\n
\"A win in Indonesia would mean that, in all likelihood, he
\nwould make the top 50,\" world rankings organizer Ian Barker, of
\nOfficial World Golf Ranking, told Reuters on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"A second-place finish might give him a chance, but it is very
\ndependent on the Players' Championship results in the U.S. this
\nweek.<\/p>\n
\"The Players is huge with 80 points available for the winner,
\nwhich is behind only the major championships in terms of ranking
\npoints available,\" Barker added.<\/p>\n
The prestigious Players' Championship, widely regarded as the
\nsport's fifth major, starts on Thursday at the Tournament Players
\nClub at Sawgrass in Florida.<\/p>\n
Montgomerie, who has played in every Masters since 1992 with a
\nbest finish of joint eighth in 1998, came close to qualifying for
\nthe year's first major in China last week.<\/p>\n
The 41-year-old Scot needed to win the European Tour-
\nsanctioned TCL Classic to return to the world top's 50 but, after
\nsharing the lead going into the final round, he slipped back to
\nsixth place.<\/p>\n
Montgomerie, who holed the winning putt for Europe at last
\nyear's Ryder Cup, heads the field this week at Jakarta's
\nCengkareng Golf Club where he will be bidding for a 29th European
\nTour title.<\/p>\n
\"I'm looking forward to playing in Indonesia as I've heard
\nmany exciting things about golf in the country.\"<\/p>\n
Montgomerie's biggest rivals are likely to be Ryder Cup team
\nmate Paul McGinley of Ireland and Asian number one Thongchai
\nJaidee of Thailand.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Masters takes place at Augusta from April 7-10.<\/p>\n
In Phoenix, Arizona, Annika Sorenstam goes into this week's
\nKraft Nabisco Championship, the first of the year's four women's
\nmajors, high on confidence after retaining her Safeway
\nInternational title on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The world number one edged out Mexico's Lorena Ochoa in a
\nplayoff at Superstition Mountain to clinch the 58th title of her
\ncareer, her fourth in a row on the LPGA Tour and her second this
\nyear.<\/p>\n
\"I've had a great start to the season and this is certainly a
\ngreat build-up for a major,\" said the 34-year-old Swede, who won
\nconsecutive Nabisco titles in 2001 and 2002.<\/p>\n
\"Majors are the goal and I think it is possible to win four in
\none year. It's never been done but I always set myself high
\ntargets.<\/p>\n
\"It was my goal last year and I lost a little momentum when I
\ndidn't win Nabisco.\"<\/p>\n
Sorenstam was bitterly disappointed when she fell at that
\nfirst hurdle. She went on to win just one major last year, the
\nLPGA Championship, to lift her career tally to seven.<\/p>\n
\"But now I'm ready for a big week,\" she added. \"I love the
\nMission Hills course and just can't wait to get there.<\/p>\n
\"I know I'm putting myself under a lot of pressure (eyeing a
\ncalendar grand slam this year), but that's the way I like it.\"<\/p>\n
Few would disagree with a player who has totally dominated
\nwomen's golf over the last four years and shows no sign of
\nslowing down.<\/p>",
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