Monty the serial offender sorry for ‘sickening’ abuse towards TV man

Bad behaviour and the Scot are no strangers, of course, but this episode was the worst yet, according to Sky's main golf analyst Ewen Murray.

Normally a man who shies clear of controversy, Murray was so incensed by Monty's actions that he labelled the incident 'the most sickening minute I have experienced on a golf course. He has let the game down badly.'

Turning on the charm: mercurial Monty was all smiles yesterday

Monty boiled over after striking a drive into the water at the 13th hole in the second round. During the altercation that followed with oncourse technician Ross Kimberley, a red-faced Monty was clearly heard saying: 'I am the reason you are here, and don't forget that.'

When collared by Sportsmail yesterday, Monty was startled to learn that Murray had been so scathing but he recognised that he had been in the wrong.

'You know what I'm like. I do things in the heat of the moment that I later regret,' he said. 'I was clearly out of line on this occasion. I've spoken to Mark Roe, who works for Sky and whom I know well, and asked him to get the man's address so I can follow up this apology with a written one.'

Monty, who has a litany of offences to be taken into consideration, has heard nothing so far from the European Tour with regard to disciplinary action. But it will be no surprise if executive director George O'Grady has a quiet word, for Murray was far from the only one appalled.

Monty's playing partner Ian Poulter, for example, was also disgusted, making a gesture to the crowd to indicate he thought his opponent all talk, although he did not want to get involved in a public slanging match.

Like most of us who know Monty well, former pro Murray is perplexed as to how someone who is charm personified away from the course can lose the plot so completely on occasion.

'If I had said what Monty did and my late father, a professional golfer himself, had been listening, he would have made sure it was at least a month before I could sit down without any pain,' added Murray.

Naturally, preview day at the Barclays Scottish Open yesterday found a different Monty, happily signing autographs and giving his pro-am partners a day to remember. Now he will have to make sure his behaviour is equally good over the next four days, for a spotlight that always burns brightly on home soil will have added intensity.

Monty is one of a veritable gallery of stars gathered at Loch Lomond, including three of the world's top five active players in Ernie Els, Adam Scott and Phil Mickelson. They have all got one eye on next week's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Indeed, Mickelson arrived here on Tuesday night after three intensive sessions renewing acquaintances with the Southport links.

Putting his best public relations hat on, Mickelson said: 'I think it is going to be a wonderful championship because the course is in immaculate shape.' If truth be told, Birkdale could do with a dry week, because Mother Nature has dictated it is far from the ideal of a fast-running links at present.

As for the top three, all will have a gleam in their eye owing to the absence of world No 1 Tiger Woods. A golden opportunity has opened up, for the next two major championships at least.

'No one looks back at the 18 majors Jack Nicklaus won and studies the field he beat,' said Mickelson. 'I haven't won a major for a couple of years, and it would certainly mean a lot to claim the next two.'

Presumably, it would mean something to win here as well, after throwing it away with an extraordinary collapse last year. Mickelson finished bogey, bogey to fall into a play-off, then bogeyed the first extra hole as well to lose to Frenchman Gregory Havret.

Finally, let us hope we see a good showing from the home players. The column in these pages on Tuesday about the dearth of Scots at the top of the game has caused plenty of comment here, led by top coach Bob Torrance, who certainly did not mince his words.

'The dedication is not there,' he said. 'Dedication doesn't mean hitting a few balls and that's it. It means being like Padraig Harrington, and hitting balls all day.'

Torrance was particularly critical of former pupil Marc Warren, who helped Scotland to World Cup glory last year, only to slump badly this season.

'He's more interested in buying big flats and Aston Martins than being a top player,'Torrance fumed.