Bitter Lyle accuses Monty of a 'form of cheating' after Ryder Cup snub

Published on Tuesday 14 July 2009 10:17

SANDY Lyle has thrown a damning slur at his fellow Scot, Colin Montgomerie, by claiming that the European Ryder Cup captain was guilty of 'cheating' in Jakarta during a tournament four years ago when he incorrectly replaced his ball.

Lyle, the former Open and Masters champion, was stung when the European Tour overlooked his candidacy for the biennial match at Celtic Manor next year, in favour of Montgomerie.

His disappointment and frustration has surfaced ahead of this week's Open Championship. When asked if he felt his decision to pull out of the Open a year ago in bad weather at Birkdale had damaged his chances of leading Europe, he turned the spotlight on Montgomerie. Lyle said: "You get Monty in this situation where he was dropping the ball badly in that overseas event and that is a form of what you would call cheating.

"What Monty did was far worse. That was going to go against Monty you would think – that's a case where he is breaking the rules."

Montgomerie later admitted that he had made a mistake and donated his 24,000 prize money to charity.

Lyle has also claimed that Montgomerie failed to return his calls after the Ryder Cup captaincy announcement.

"I rang him a few times straight after the decision but I didn't get a reply," said Lyle. "Eventually I got a letter.

"There is a slight unfairness about the captaincy. I was due, definitely. I have been to quite a few Ryder Cups over the years and I know what is needed to be a captain.

• Gallacher: Lyle is 'out of order' over Monty jibe

"I would have given it a damn good shot and have some respect from the players. So I'm a little cheesed off, yes. I don't mind saying that, I've got nothing to lose. But I will still sleep at night and I won't toss and turn in my bed all the time thinking, 'Well, what have I done wrong?'"

Montgomerie's manager Guy Kinnings said last night: "I'm surprised and sad if Sandy has chosen to say these things about something which was resolved so long ago. Monty was elected Ryder Cup captain unanimously by a committee of his peers who obviously don't share that view."

Lyle, meanwhile, defended his actions at Birkdale and insisted he would do the same again. His disinclination to talk up the hand injury which forced him out of the tournament backfired on the Scot. It was assumed a combination of high scores and miserable weather persuaded him not to continue.

Recalling the fierce criticism which came his way, Lyle insisted: "I would still make the same decision to walk off again, without doubt. I didn't walk off last year because of the weather. Obviously, the weather played a part. There was just no point in carrying on. I knew there were some tough holes coming up. I was hitting it into the rough and with my hand as sore as it was, I didn't want to make it any worse. I was thinking about the Senior Open the following week. I didn't want to ruin my chances of playing in my first Senior."

Since then, Lyle changed his swing and is now free of injury. "It's gone now thanks to the swing change. The conditions