By Brian Creighton

GLENEAGLES, Scotland (AP) _ Colin Montgomerie saw the bright side Wednesday of his title-losing second shot at the final hole in the U.S. Open.

``There is nothing negative here at all. It was a very positive week for me,'' the Scottish golfer said on the eve of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

That one shot Sunday at Winged Foot led to a double bogey six. Par would have given him the title, which was won by Australia's Geoff Ogilvy.

Montgomerie was let down by the seven-iron he chose for the 172-yard (157-meter) approach _ after a perfect drive _ and finished short of the green in heavy rough. He needed four more strokes, including three putts from 40 feet.

``Yes I didn't win but I am taking as many positives as I can from it. I am back in the world's elite and I'll try again at the next U.S. Open and obviously at Hoylake in the (British) Open next month.

``We know this is a crazy game at times. Just when you think you are safe, as I probably did on that last fairway, it comes back and bites you. It is difficult but you just have to say `fine' and try again.''

Montgomerie compared his now five runner-up finishes in majors to reaching five finals in tennis and losing them all. He said his best chance of winning came in the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, when he was third.

``When I finished, there was no way it wasn't going to be a win. Someone had to get to one-under and they did.''

Tom Kite won at Pebble Beach with Jeff Sluman second.

Montgomerie, 43 on Friday, has never won a major but he defended his record.

``It is excellent actually to get to the final even if you come up short. I see it as a positive to finish second in a major against the world's best players on the world's best courses,'' said the Scot.

Phil Mickelson also double-bogeyed the last hole Sunday to lose by one stroke and, according to Montgomerie, may have a tougher time accepting the defeat.

``I think it is always more difficult for the guy who is in the last group and knows what he has to do,'' said Montgomerie, who played in the third last group.

Montgomerie also denied claims he threw a tee at a boy on the 17th hole at Winged Foot, bumped into a police officer after the round and boycotted the trophy ceremony.

``I threw a tee into the ground because I was disappointed at my drive. It was towards somebody but not at somebody,'' he said.

``The State Trooper actually bumped into me, not me into him. And Jim Furyk and I were asked to attend the ceremony but were told we didn't have to. As we both had flights to catch, we left.''