Monty heads British Open qualifier field

Victorious Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie heads the field contesting next Monday's 36-hole British Open qualifier at Sunningdale in England.

Joining Montgomerie are six other Ryder Cup stars including potential 2014 European captain Paul McGinley of Ireland.

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Other Ryder Cup players include the England trio of Ross Fisher, Oliver Wilson and David Howell, Frenchman Thomas Levet and Welshman Phil Price.

A field of 96 players will take to the Surrey course with the top 12 placegetters assured of entry into the British Open starting on July 19 at Royal Lytham and St. Annes.

Monty contested every British Open from 1990 to 2010 before missing out on qualifying last year.

The Scot, who turns 49 on Saturday, recently sought to qualify for the U.S. Open but was also unsuccessful.

McGinley has missed out on qualifying for the past two years.

Also competing next Monday will be 45-year old American Billy Mayfair, who last contested a major in the 2009 British Open, finishing 52nd.

Among the reserves seeking entry into Monday's qualifier is Sweden's Niclas Fasth, who was runner-up in the 2001 British Open, the last time it was staged at Royal Lytham and St. Annes.

Fasth is fourth reserve while 2005 U.S. Open champion, Michael Campbell is 20th reserve and highly unlikely to tee up.

Campbell had led going into the final round of the 1995 British Open before finishing third to John Daly.

His five-year British Open exemption in capturing the U.S. Open ended in 2009 and in the past two years the New Zealander has failed to qualify for golf's oldest major.