Montgomerie ready to test injury as Rose chases US Open place

Mandatory players' meetings are, by their nature, mandatory. Unless you have a sick note. On the eve of the Volvo PGA Championship two were provided by the defending champion, Andrew Oldcorn, and three-time winner Colin Montgomerie.

Oldcorn's wife gave birth to their second daughter last week before he rushed to Germany, then home to Edinburgh after which he ended up with an upset stomach and a headache during his practice round on Tuesday. Since losing in dramatic fashion to Tiger Woods in Heidelberg on Monday, Montgomerie has been seeing a chiropractor and an osteopath about his back injury, but will try and tee up this morning.

"I have to get some flexibility in to my back," he said. "I don't know how I am going to feel but I will give it a go. I am trying to rest as much as possible, but I am not supposed to sit down for too long so I'll have to miss the meeting."

Montgomerie only did some chipping and putting on the West Course yesterday having wanted to see the new tee at the 13th and the new fairway bunkering on the 15th and 16th holes. "It's not as if I don't know my way round," he said.

His performance on Monday, taking Woods to a third extra hole, was even more remarkable after not going to bed the previous night. "I had no sleep whatsoever. I kept moving around the room and watching DVDs. When the sun came up I went to the course. I was knackered after the tournament."

The Monday finish in Germany meant a shortened preparation time with the PGA starting today and concluding on Sunday. The traditional bank holiday has moved due to the Queen's Jubilee but no one told the weather – the forecast is less than favourable.

To be young and fit may be a help. Justin Rose is both of those things and in fine form. The 21-year-old started his pro career by missing 21 consecutive cuts, but this season has followed his three missed cuts with three wins and was third last week behind Woods and Monty at the Deutsche Bank.

"I don't panic now if I have a bad week," Rose said. "It doesn't worry me. I have belief in my game now. I don't think I deserve success more than anyone else because of what I went through but it does make it a bit sweeter."

Rose is now the best golfer in England. "When you think of the millions who play the game that is quite something," he said. While he was 444th in the world 19 months ago, he is now 62nd. Lee Westwood, the world No 4 little more than a year ago, is now 71st. Rose needs a third-place finish to climb into the top-50 in the world and get an exemption to the US Open. Westwood needs to finish second.

Jose Maria Olazabal and Retief Goosen are here, but Sergio Garcia, Bernhard Langer, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh could not turn down Jack Nicklaus and his Memorial Tournament in the States. "Perhaps the tours should get together about the dates of some of the bigger tournaments," said Olazabal.

Also missing is Seve Ballesteros, who has not played since beating Montgomerie at his own Seve Trophy despite scoring 78. "I think he will be back for [next month's ] Irish Open," Olazabal said. "But he is thinking what to do about his game.

"I've spent a lot of my career watching Seve, learning from him and being supported by him. To see him struggle in the way he is, is sad for me. It must be tough for him. I cross my fingers that he will come back."

* John Daly has confirmed he will be defending his BMW International Open title in Munich from 29 August to 1 September. Daly entered the record books at the event last year, his 27 under par total equalling the lowest ever on the European Tour.