Calf injury a major blow for Colin Montgomerie

COLIN Montgomerie’s season may have come to a premature end after a leg injury forced him to retire during the first round of the BMW Italian Open.

The eight-times European 
No 1 suffered a torn calf muscle on the final day of the European Masters in Switzerland a fortnight ago and had to pull out of last week’s KLM Open in the Netherlands. He sought medical advice and was told that it could take around six weeks to heal properly but nevertheless decided to try to play in Turin.

But his tournament only lasted nine holes and onlookers said the Scot was in obvious pain from the moment he played a bunker shot at the second.

It now remains to be seen if Montgomerie, who will be working as a commentator for Sky at the Ryder Cup in a fortnight’s time, will be fit enough to play in the Dunhill Links Championship in the first week in October.

Currently lying 132nd on the money list, he already had little chance of making the Dubai World Championship at the end of the season.

Alastair Forsyth, Scott Jamieson and Marc Warren all opened with four-under 68s at I Roveri but trail the leader, Swede Joel Sjoholm, by four shots.