Montgomerie 'put off' by Lyle row

[supr4]

Lyle's motives are being questioned.
Colin Montgomerie has claimed that his public spat with fellow Scot Sandy Lyle distracted him from his game at the 138th Open at Turnberry.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/8156398.stm

This spat stems from Colin being accused of being a cheat at the Indonesian Open

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.c...4971/index.htm

Lyle is correct in calling Colin a cheat.


The questions to be asked is;

1. Whether Colin cheated twice by lying or twisting "The rules won't let you." This statement is self-evident and self incrimminatory.
Yet former European tour executive director Ken Schofield says such a request might have been granted. "I'd like to believe that at the time the tapes were reviewed and the prize money was offered to charity the equitable thing could still have been done , and that would have been to give Colin a DQ.

This was not a victimless crime. By not forfeiting the points he deprived another fellow golfer from 50th place ranking and thus a shot at the British Open.

This begs the next question

2. Will another American Ryder Cupper sniffs, "Once a cheater, always a cheater. Golf has a long memory."?

Is this what Lyle is afraid of in the forthcoming 2010 Ryder cup.


Quote of the day
"I'm not going to say anything," said Miguel Angel Jiminez of Spain, "because when you poke a stick into a pile of s---, it only smells worse."

[uttexas]

I've always liked Lyle's personality. He was a fantastic golfer in the late 80s/early 90s and can occasionally put a few really nice rounds together. Lyle has superior leadership abilities to Monty. Lyle should be captain, not rabbit ears.

[supr4]

1. Yes, Colin Montgomerie should relinguished his 2010 Ryder Captaincy
2. Yes, Lyle be given the Captaincy for being honest
3. Yes, Colin cheated. His half measured response by donating winnings to charity smacked of hypocrisy and deceit. The right and complete thing to do is also to self forfeit his points. By not doing so he brings the game to disrepute and compromise his fellow golfers and officials' integrity and impartiality.
4. Yes, as per 3 above.

Much has been commented about Vijay Singh being a cheat , coincidentally at the Indonesian Open. My challenge here is to my fellow forum members who were quick to point him out, will you be selective or brave in your comment too herein?

[Mr Eagle]

Lyle walked off the course,(open 2008)he quit, and should shut up.
Monty is a misserable dour Scot,(although a great Ryder cup player)and he maybe cheated

They should be locked in a room with a couple of nine irons.The one that comes out should be given the benefit of the doubt and the captiancy

[Acropo]

No choice of 'It's in the past and Lyle should shut up', which is what I would ahve voted for.

'Spotless Sandy' is not as innocent as some seem to think. He was DQ'd from a tournament some time ago for altering the characteristics of his club during a round - a rule everyone knows about. He put some plaster on his putter because the reflections of the sun were blinding him, he said.

I don't know where uttexas got the idea that Lyle has superior leadership qualities to Montgomerie. The latter was dubbed the 'on-course captain' of the European Ryder Cup team for years and led the GB&I; team in three (or is it 4?) Seve Trophies, either winning or tying the bulk of them.

Lyle ahs been consicuous by his absence from the European Tour for years. Montgomerie supported it totally through his best years - possibly to the detriment of his own career. Personal experience: Lyle is an empty vessel off the course. Montgomerie may be someone you even look at at your peril ont eh course but he is very good company off it.

While Lyle is perfectly entitled to feel disappointed at not getting the RC Captaincy, he's not entitled to get back at someone he has described as his 'buddy' by slagging him off in public. His behaviour this week has been an embarrassment.