Colin Montgomerie is hoping that a return to a course on which he so nearly had his biggest win will help him avoid the worst run of his career.

In the 19 years he has been a professional Montgomerie has never missed four successive halfway cuts, but that will be the situation if the eight-time European number one does not make it to the final two rounds of the Players Championship in Florida this week.

Without breaking 70 once Montgomerie suffered early exits at the Desert Classic in Dubai, Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth and then last week the Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando.

The 42-year-old Scot had a second round 77 there - and now he has to compete against 49 of the world's top 50 in what is dubbed golf's unofficial fifth major.

The event has been staged at the TPC at Sawgrass course every year since 1982 and a decade ago Montgomerie was involved in a thrilling battle with Fred Couples which the American won after an amazing eagle on the long 16th.

Couples' second shot landed on the wooden edge to the lake and could have gone anywhere, but it bounced onto the green and he made the putt.

"Ask me my favourite courses and I will tell you the ones where I have won," said Montgomerie after a practice round on Tuesday played in the company of his sports psychologist Hugh Mantle.

"I have not won here, but I have done well and I always look forward to coming back - it's a fantastic test of golf."

Montgomerie also finished third in 2000, seventh in 1997 and ninth in 1994, but against that he has not broken 70 in his last 16 attempts.

Last year's Open runner-up, who did not qualify for this tournament 12 months ago, said of his form: "I am working hard at it and it is coming back.

"There were good signs last week, but it did not show in the scores. Hopefully it will come right here on Thursday, Friday ... Sunday!"

If it does not he will have only next week's BellSouth Classic in Atlanta to gain some confidence prior to the Masters.

The words of Phil Mickelson ought to cheer him, however.

"Colin had a very good chance at the British Open last year and as well as he drives it I think he is going to have a very good chance at Winged Foot." That is where the US Open is being staged in June.

"I think he will have another great chance at the British Open this year (Hoylake hosts the event for the first time since 1967) and another great chance at the PGA.

"And I would not rule out the Masters, but I would say that would be the least of the four he would win."