ASH, England (PA) -- Colin Montgomerie claimed he would leave himself out if he was selecting the European Ryder Cup team right now.

"I would pick (Luke) Donald and (Padraig) Harrington," stated the Scot, who is back in the limelight thanks to his runner-up finish in the French Open last Sunday.

However, Montgomerie, who confesses to self-doubt throughout his career, knows that Captain Nick Faldo doesn't have to make his two wild choices until the end of next month. And by then, he hopes to have forced his way into an automatic spot or, failing that, provided much more evidence that he is the man for the job against the Americans yet again.

"I'm not resting on any laurels," said Montgomerie at The London Club for the defense of the European Open title he won in Ireland last year. "It's getting harder, there's no question about it. I'm 45 now and you have to dig a little deeper every time. But it's nice to know that it's there.

"Last week's last putt (a 40-footer that made him second behind young Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal) felt like a win, but I've got to keep going here," he added. "I don't feel I've played my last Ryder Cup -- it will be a shame if I have. I think I have at least one left to play.

"It's been part of my life since 1991 and I don't feel I'm ready to give that up."

There is also the British Open fast approaching, of course, and when asked if he would take second place at Royal Birkdale with a guaranteed ninth Ryder Cup berth to follow he replied: "Yeah, of course. Definitely yeah. Can I take it now?"

Yet with no Tiger Woods in two weeks' time, Montgomerie knows first place in the British Open is a lot more up for grabs than has been the case in recent years.

"The door is a little wider open and it's given a lot of players on form the opportunity of winning a major," said Montgomerie, the runner-up to Woods at St. Andrews three years ago. "Someone is going to win these next couple of majors and it's not Tiger Woods.

"This is a big week for me defending here, then I have the Scottish Open, which speaks for itself, and then the British. I'm looking forward to it."

How Faldo feels on the relative merits of Montgomerie, Harrington and Donald (currently out of action recovering from a wrist injury) is unknown and will not be known until he unveils his wild cards.

It could have all changed by then, but things would also get even more fascinating if, for example, Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose fell out of the top 10, as could yet happen.

They, like defending British Open champion Harrington, are also in this week's field, though, and are determined both to secure spots in the side as quickly as possibly and show they could be the ones to take advantage of Woods's absence at Birkdale.

Harrington admits to having "a bit of a dodgy neck" as he tries to avoid going to the British Open without a single victory since his Carnoustie triumph.

Rose has also yet to win this year, but Garcia lifted the prestigious Players Championship in Florida in May.

This is the week when drug-testing becomes a possibility at European and PGA Tour events and Harrington said: "I've asked a few times about certain things, but nothing to be feared.

"I don't need a medical pass for anything as of yet and hopefully I won't in the future," he added. "It's so new there are going to be teething problems and we're not like athletes who know from the age of 13 or 14 that you can't take this and that and with experience golfers will become like that too."

Garcia is a rare visitor to these shores and has been for some time because of the tax situation following the Andre Agassi court case in 2004 where the Inland Revenue successfully claimed he owed money on a portion of his endorsement income because of his appearances here.

The 28-year-old Spaniard insists he does not see the British Open as "unfinished business" following his playoff loss to Harrington.

"It took me just a couple of days to get over it," he said. "I just came up about half an inch too far left (a reference to his putt to win on the 72nd hole), but I felt like I learnt a lot and that probably made me a better player for this year.

"If I had made that putt maybe I would never have gone back to the short putter and never won the Players Championship," he added. "Everything happens for a reason and if I wasn't meant to win the Open last year there must be a reason for it."

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