Colin Montgomerie was approached by a security guard as he finished a practice session on Tuesday and was asked if he would speak to the "working press" at the Masters.

"That's two words you don't normally hear together," joked the Scot, in jovial mood ahead of his 53rd attempt to win a major championship.

Montgomerie is on his 13th visit to Augusta National, but while admitting the course, firmer than for many years, is "very, very difficult" he hopes one thing is working in his favour.

"I've never won so close to the Masters before, so that's good for my confidence," said the 40-year-old, who captured the Singapore Masters three weeks ago to climb back into the world's top 50.

After originally planning to stay in the United States to practise last week Montgomerie made a sudden decision to go home and "chill out".

He explained: "I drove my caddie Andy to the airport and when we got there I just thought 'blow it, I'm going as well'." He bought a ticket and was back with his family Monday morning.

What practice he did do was at the Wisley club in Surrey, but for putting he feels there is nothing you can do until you are actually at Augusta.

"These greens are unique - there is nothing like them anywhere," he said. "And they're tough however many practice rounds you play on them. Breaking par will be no mean feat the way they are this week."

Montgomerie has only one top-10 finish in the event. That was his eighth place in 1998, but it is the previous year that - so far at least - he is most remembered for.

Second to Tiger Woods halfway he expressed the hope that his experience could count against a 21-year-old playing his first major as a professional.

Woods, aware of the comment, shot 65 to Montgomerie's 74. The following day, still in shock it appeared, he added an 81 while Woods won by 12 with the lowest total in Masters history.

During his seven years as Europe's number one the attention was a lot more on Montgomerie than it is now with Padraig Harrington seventh in the world and Darren Clarke a winner of two World Championships.

He has not been in the hunt in a major with a round to go since he was second to Ernie Els in the 1997 US Open and has missed the halfway cut in four of the last five and five of the last seven majors. In the previous 21 he missed just two cuts.