What's the closest that Colin Montgomerie has come to winning a major?

Question

He's often named as the best golfer never to have won one - but just how close did he get?

Answer 1

Pretty close. At the 2006 US Open, Monty was leading as he stepped onto the 18th in the final round, having sunk a 50 foot birdie putt on the previous green. But he hit a poor tee shot into thick rough, and when he reached the green he three-putted from 30 feet, losing the tournament by 1 stroke. That was perhaps the closest he's come, although he's come second, or tied for second on no fewer than five occasions at all the majors except the Masters, where his best performance was to tie for eighth place in 1998.