When you think of a golfer who might have come close to winning the majors, that’s usually followed by a look at just how many they eventually did win.
Over the years, the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and more have so often finished as a runner-up but in the end, they’ve got over the line to create their own legacy in the game.
However, for every serial winner, there are players who just don’t quite seem to be able to get the job done.
Indeed, until last year, Xander Schauffele was one of those players who couldn’t get it over the line before he won The Open and the PGA, while talented Americans like Patrick Cantlay and Billy Horschel have never won a major either.
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Over in Europe, Tommy Fleetwood is heading to being the player who never quite gets it done, while Rory McIlroy is now in year 11 without adding to his four.
Still, nothing can compare to one European golf legend, Colin Montgomerie, when it comes to missing out by the narrowest of margins.
How Colin Montgomerie finished second in five majors but never actually won
Over in Europe, the story of Colin Montgomerie being one of the best players never to win a major is commonplace.
‘Monty’ never did quite manage to win one, while the likes of Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam etched their own names in history by winning the big ones.
Remarkably though for Montgomerie, it wasn’t for a want of trying.
The Scottish star very much owns the title of European golf’s ‘nearly man’, having coming second a whopping five times in his quest to win that major championship.
Interestingly, Montgomerie managed the feat three times at the US Open, with single occasions at The Open and the PGA adding to his woe. In terms of the Masters, it wasn’t quite so painful, as the Scot’s best effort came with an 8th in 1998.
Colin Montgomerie’s runner-up finishes in majors explained
Montgomerie really couldn’t have come much closer to winning one of golf’s big prizes.
The US Open in 1994 saw him fluff his lines in the final round before losing in a playoff to Ernie Els, while a year later at the PGA, Montgomerie couldn’t believe what he’d done as he missed his putts from a better position before Steve Elkington holed a monster from 35 feet to win.
The US Open in 1997 was a case of deja-vu for Montgomerie, as Els once again beat him, only this time by a single shot instead of a playoff.
‘Monty’ would then wait until 2005 to have a really good run at winning a major, this time as he came up short in The Open at St Andrews to a certain Tiger Woods, who won by five.
Finally, in 2006, Montgomerie had one more big crack at the US Open. Winged Foot was the host this time as Montgomerie lost by a single stroke again, as his failure to par alongside Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk on 18 allowed outsider Geoff Ogilvy to sneak in and win.
It’s safe to say that Monty did all he could to win. But in the end, he just never quite got over the line and it must eat away at him daily.
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