Colin Montgomerie will make his 20th, and possibly final, attempt to win the Open with his hopes having already suffered a potentially fatal blow.

Montgomerie failed to qualify for this year's US Masters and US Open after sliding down the world rankings - he is currently 199th - and only qualified for Turnberry after a change in the rules gave places to the top 30, rather than top 20, on last season's Order of Merit.

The 46-year-old was runner-up in the Open in 2005, but his chances of a similar performance this year appear slim after Sandy Lyle brought up the "cheating" controversy Europe's Ryder Cup captain was embroiled in four years ago in Jakarta.

Lyle apologised for jeopardising Montgomerie's preparation but did not withdraw his comment that what Monty did in Indonesia - incorrectly replacing his ball after a weather delay - was "a form of what you would call cheating".

The two-time major winner, who has had something of a feud with his compatriot since losing out to him in the race for the Ryder Cup captaincy, did plead the remarks has been taken "out of context", but then added: "It's all been well-documented. It's all on video. It's not like I'm fabricating. The drop wasn't close to where it should be. And on TV it doesn't lie."

Montgomerie's reaction to that was far from surprising, the Scot saying: "It's a rather strange apology to be honest with you. It's nothing much to do with me at all - it's all Sandy.

"I've nothing much to say. I'm just trying to come down here and compete in the Open and my preparations have been slightly dented. I'm not very happy about that at all."

It is the second year in a row that Lyle has hit the headlines at The Open, and the two episodes are linked.

The 51-year-old was heavily criticised for walking out after only 10 holes at Royal Birkdale last year. He maintained he was injured, but to quit the biggest event in golf so soon into it - however bad the weather was - was viewed by some as poor judgement and probably scuppered his Ryder Cup captaincy hopes.