Ryder Cup hero Monty takes centre stage

Dec 10 2010 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

WINNING 2010 Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie will be a special guest at Tuesday’s International Events Conference being held at Perth Concert Hall.

The high-profile gathering in the Fair City will focus on “Scotland: The Perfect Stage.”

With the money-spinning Ryder Cup coming to Perthshire in 2014, when Gleneagles hosts the match between Europe and the USA, few have more in-depth knowledge of the competition and the way it has mushroomed in recent years than locally-based Montgomerie.

The eight times European Tour Order of Merit winner has played in eight Ryder Cup teams and led the Europeans to victory in the autumn at Celtic Manor in Wales, hailing it as his greatest achievement in an extraordinary golfing career.

Strathallan-educated Monty, as he is known to one and all, is one of his generation’s most recognisable and endearing sports stars.

His career earnings on the Tour are pitched at nearly 24 million Euros, averaging out at 194 Euros a stroke. Having posted 31 victories, he is now just one tournament away from the 500th Tour milestone.

Montgomerie’s agreement to speak at the Perth event is a major coup for organisers EventScotland.

Chaired by sports broadcaster Dougie Vipond, it will hear from a range of speakers, including highly regarded Scots administrator Sir Craig Reedie, a board member of the International Olympic Committee in the countdown to London 2012.

On different tacks, other speakers will include Big County folk singer Dougie MacLean reflecting on his popular “Perthshire Amber” project, and Perth and Kinross Council chief executive Bernadette Malone.

The third conference of its kind provides an opportunity for Scotland’s event industry to evaluate and assess its positive impact and how the benefits can be maximised across the businesses and communities.

The programme will also assess where the country stands against its international competitors and discuss what can be done to stay one step ahead in an increasingly challenging marketplace.