Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, speaking at Celtic Manor at a joint news conference with Corey Pavin, his US counterpart, said that victory over a side including an in-form and thoroughly team-bonded world No.1 would be sweeter than ever.

Woods has such a dismal record in Ryder Cup fourballs and foursomes – with 11 partners over five matches and only seven wins and a halved match out of 20 – that he has been heavily criticised as being unable to adapt his unrivalled individual game into the team environment. The US were reckoned to be stronger without him last year in Valhalla at a time when he was recovering from knee surgery.

There was no sign of that weakness, however, at Harding Park, San Francisco, at the weekend as he tallied five out of five points, holed the winning putt, and formed a strong partnership with Steve Stricker.

Montgomerie said: “It’s very interesting that he seems to have the hang of this team game as well as the individual one now. We’re all thrilled.”

There was laughter at that last remark, which was delivered with a smile, but Montgomerie still managed to turn a serious threat into a positive for his prospective side. “No European has ever won five out of five in Ryder Cup play. It is a fantastic feat. If he’s back to top form and winning matches like that it makes our job even tougher,” he said. “I hate to say this in front of Corey and our American friends, but it would make it a better win if we can regain the Ryder Cup with Tiger in the team.”

Pavin was coy about the prospect of a Woods-Stricker pairing in Wales. “It’s not safe to say,” he said. “I have not made any pairings yet and you have to assume that Tiger and Steve will both make the team as well. We’ll see. It’s a long time from now.”

The match will be staged in early October next year, two weeks later than usual, because of the introduction of the FedEx Cup play-offs in the US and is scheduled the week after the concluding event, the Tour Championship. Out of that arrangement, Montgomerie foresaw an advantage to the Europeans because while he might have only two or three players making the transatlantic crossing on the Monday leaving only three days of practice, the majority of the Americans side would be doing that.

“I have less of an issue with that,” said Montgomerie. “If they need to rest and just hit some shots and relax the first day or so that’s fine by me. If they want to play nine holes one day they can. I just need them all right by Friday.”

This delay is perceived be taking the Twenty Ten course into a dodgy time of year as far as quality is concerned. Pavin, however, praised the condition yesterday. “I didn’t even know it had rained here at all. This type of weather is excellent for these greens. You don’t want them to grow real fast. It’s the exact type of greens I grew up playing in southern California. They were fantastic.”

Montgomerie said he will shortly be emailing all players in the frame for the Ryder Cup – including the top 115 on the Race to Dubai order of merit plus other top category players – to encourage them to play in three key events. These are the BMW PGA Championship, the Celtic Manor Wales Open over the Ryder Cup course, and the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

“The BMW PGA is our flagship event and it goes without saying that any player who wins in the Wales Open will be one of my potentials or probables or possibles and will do himself no harm. 
The final qualifying event is at Gleneagles and that will take care of itself,” he said.

However, he said he would not frown upon anyone missing the Scottish date through trying to qualify for the FedEx playoffs in the US.

Pavin indirectly criticised Paul Azinger, his predecessor, who urged spectators to cheer when the Europeans missed. “Cheering for missed putts or missed shots is inappropriate and I think true golf fans understand that,” Pavin said.

Montgomerie reminded everyone that the Americans will be guests here. “If there’s anything that goes around I will be the first person to stamp that out,” he said.

Meanwhile, Montgomerie has asked for an inch of rough around the greens for next year’s match, according to Jim McKenzie, the Scot who is director of golf courses at Celtic Manor. “It won’t be like the K Club and shaved around the greens,” he said.

McKenzie said work was also proceeding to firm up all of the greens, which in theory will gave an advantage to the Europeans who are used to such surfaces and not the receptive greens that prevail in the US.