STATISTICS

Sir, - Your correspondent, David Davies, ("Statistics point to a Montgomerie win", August 8th) claims to provide proof of "the…

Sir, - Your correspondent, David Davies, ("Statistics point to a Montgomerie win", August 8th) claims to provide proof of "the damned lies that statistics are" by stating that "if Colin Montgomerie plays his usual, his average, game, he will win the US PGA Championship".

This assertion is based on the fact that Montgomerie is the player who has "made the most money per stroke on average in the tournament. Davies highlights how the statement seems to defy common sense, and indeed it does.

This is because it is based on the assumption that all the other entrants will also play their usual average game. Of course, roughly half could be expected to play better than their average game - some considerably so - and therein lies the challenge for Montgomerie! - Yours, etc.,

Burlington Road,

READ MORE

Dublin 4.