Montgomerie may have to withdraw from Ryder Cup

Former European No 1 fears back injury could stop him playing at Belfry despite top 10 finish in German Masters

Colin Montgomerie last night cast fresh doubt upon his participation in the Ryder Cup despite a top 10 finish here in the German Masters yesterday.

Montgomerie hit a closing round of 67 at Gut Larchenhof to finish in ninth place on 16 under, six shots behind the winner, Stephen Leaney of Australia. But the former European No 1 revealed that he was still troubled by a season-long back injury and would pull out of the contest at The Belfry if the did not feel he could play in all five series of matches, regardless of the wishes of the captain, Sam Torrance.

"I've finished with a 67, played well and shot 16 under and was 15 under for the last three rounds and that's good," said Montgomerie, who was confident on Wednesday he would be able to play all five matches as he made his first appearance since pulling out of the NEC Invitational with the back complaint three weeks ago.

"There's nothing wrong with the golf. It's just if I can play – and if I can't play five times for Sam I won't go, whether he wants me to play or not. I have to be able to play five times and I'm not sure I can. My gut feeling is I am going but it got quite painful at the end. The pain is tiring.

"Hopefully I will be able to play next week [in the American Express Championships at Mount Juliet in Ireland] and therefore I will let Sam know my decision after next week."

Europe's Ryder Cup vice-captain, Ian Woosnam, who finished in a tie for third place with the young Englishmen Paul Casey and Nick Dougherty, two shots behind the winner, was unconcerned by Montgomerie's latest pronouncement. "He says that all the time," said Woosnam, who closed with a 68 but dropped two crucial shots on the back nine. "He'll be there."

Leaney has had to cancel a three-week holiday back home in Perth after his victory earned him £315,000, a five-year tour exemption and a place in next week's £3.55m American Express Championships. He plans to try and earn his United States Tour card later this year.

"It's great to have that five-year exemption under my belt and great to win again. It's been two years and you do wonder if you will win again."

Casey had held a two-shot lead overnight, but was soon caught and overtaken as Woosnam and Gary Evans birdied three of the first four holes. Leaney then took over the lead with a superb approach to two feet giving him his fourth birdie of the day on the eighth, and was never headed from then on.

The 33-year-old, who is based in Camberley when on the European Tour, could only manage one more birdie on the 10th to set up a tense finale. But he held his nerve with eight straight pars while Alex Cejka, of Germany, who finished second, one shot behind Leaney, and Woosnam both dropped crucial shots on the closing stretch.