Jibes put me off my stroke, says Monty as he fails to make the cut

Published on Saturday 18 July 2009 01:14

IT HAS been a week-long spat that has cast Scottish golf in the worst possible light.

And, in an almost inevitable conclusion, Colin Montgomerie yesterday blamed his public spat with Sandy Lyle for his poor performance at the 138th Open Championship at Turnberry.

Montgomerie, 46, failed to make the cut last night after finishing five over par, with rounds of 71 and 74. Asked if Lyle's remarks had affected him, Montgomerie said: "Very much so."

The European Ryder Cup team captain for the 2010 event also appears to have put an end to any hopes Lyle might have had of becoming his vice-captain at Celtic Manor in Wales. Montgomerie said: "I thought it was amusing this morning – and this is the last thing I want to say on the matter – that he hopes (the row] doesn't jeopardise his vice-captaincy position. I thought that was very funny."

The row began shortly before the Open when Lyle was asked whether quitting last year's tournament after ten holes because of bad weather could have jeopardised his chances of becoming Ryder Cup captain.

In response, Lyle drew attention to an incident involving Montgomerie at the Indonesian Open in Jakarta in 2005 when he incorrectly replaced his ball after a weather delay, calling it "a form of cheating".

"I was asked about jeopardising the captaincy of the Ryder Cup by walking off the course and I said Monty was not exactly squeaky clean and he has had his troubles as well," he said.

"I don't really regret saying it. It was light-hearted, it was not a full-out blast at Colin. We are actually quite good buddies. We are not enemies."

Having confessed that he kept stirring the pot inadvertently, Lyle was asked why he persisted in making comments on a subject best served by the diplomacy of silence.

"I feel sorry for Colin in some ways really, because I don't want to keep stirring the pot," he said. "But I keep opening my mouth and making back page headlines. Now I think we have to call an end to it and it will be dealt with behind the scenes."

He added: "Through managers, we will make some contact but his (Montgomerie's] mobile number might be hard to get right now, and even if I ring, I'm not sure he will answer it. I have to know what he is feeling like.

"I would think he will be well and truly fuelled after the headlines this morning. But I think we've said enough and we need to get on and play golf."

However, having tried to build bridges, he then undermined his apology by refusing to back down over a jibe that Montgomerie was a "drama queen".

He said: "I think a lot of us know he's an emotional person and gets a bit hot under the collar. So comments like this in the papers don't help. But he'll get over it. He's a big enough boy."

Despite the past week's exchanges, Lyle has said he still held out hope of being involved behind the scenes in the Ryder Cup, prompting the withering sarcasm from Montgomerie.

Lyle – who also failed to set the heather on fire at the Open, coming in eight over par – said: "I'll get on with my game, he'll get on with his and it will all be forgotten in a couple of months' time."