COLIN MONTGOMERIE has picked up yet another award - the Johnnie Walker Golfer of the Year. Hard on the heels of being named winner of the Golf Writers' Trophy and the Canon Shot of the Year, the 33 year old Scot has become only the second player to take one of the European Tour's top prizes two years in a row.

The other was Nick Faldo in 1989 and 1990, and it was Faldo whom Montgomerie out voted when a panel from the Association of Golf Writers met.

Faldo won his third US Masters title in April when he turned a six shot deficit with Greg Norman into a five stroke victory.

But Montgomerie's achievement in grabbing a record equalling, fourth successive European Order of Merit title was considered marginally the better.

"What Nick achieved at Augusta was amazing," said Montgomerie. "You do not need to be a golf fan to have marvelled at the intensity of the battle and with that in mind, it certainly gives me extra satisfaction to be Johnnie Walker Golfer of the Year."

In 18 ranking tournaments, he won three, finished second three times and came in the top 10 on no fewer than 11 occasions. It helped him to a record £875,145 and by coming second in the Players' Championship in Florida in March and winning the Million Dollar Challenge in Sun City at the start `of this month, he became the first player to earn $3 million worldwide in a season.

His end of year world ranking continues to improve as well. He was 81st in December 1990, then 36th, 20th, 14th, eighth, sixth and now third.