Golf: Rival accuses Monty of cheating

Colin Montgomerie

Controversy continues to surround Colin Montgomerie's conduct at the Indonesian Open with fellow European Tour golf professional Gary Evans claiming "there has been smoke around Monty before".

The Independent website yesterday reported that Evans made the comments during the BMW Championship European golf tournament at Wentworth, England.

Evans, a Tour professional for 14 years, became the first to break the wall of silence that has served as some sort of protection for Montgomerie, when marching into the media centre, unprovoked, and declaring that "there has been smoke around Monty before".

Evans also claimed that "98 per cent of players" were unhappy that Montgomerie had been cleared by the players tournament committee and believed that a disciplinary panel should be introduced, to fine or ban miscreants whose misdemeanours have come to light after the tournament had finished.

During the second round of the Indonesian Open in March, Montgomerie hit his ball near the edge of a bunker on the 14th hole.

He spent 20 seconds trying, and failing, to take a stance, before play was called to a halt because of bad weather. He stalked off, leaving the ball where it lay instead of marking where it lay.

When he returned the following day, the ball had disappeared. He replaced it - as required by the rules - but did so 45cm from its original position where he was able to take a stance, from where he made an easy par.

On seeing the tapes a few weeks later, and after discovering that Soren Kjeldsen, a Danish professional, had made an official complaint, Montgomerie admitted that he too was "concerned" by what he'd witnessed and had donated the 24,000 ($62,160) he earned for coming fourth to a tsunami relief charity.

As the referee in charge of the Indonesian Open did not take any action at the time, Montgomerie was not punished for an error he has always maintained was "unwitting".

In an unprecedented move, George O'Grady, the Tour's chief executive, demanded that Evans apologise for comments suggesting that Montgomerie should have been banned for the "wrong drop".

O'Grady described Evans' outburst as "enormously disrespectful".

"I expect him to apologise," he said, all but implying that Evans would be punished if he refused to do so for breaking the Tour's "code of behaviour".

As Evans is not expected to say sorry - either to Montgomerie or to the tournament committee - the matter isn't expected to die.

Yesterday, Montgomerie made a valiant attempt to finish high enough in the PGA Championship to earn himself an automatic place in next month's US Open. His joint 11th place at Wentworth, after a stirring 66, left him on the cusp before he faced the media with tears in his eyes.

"I am extremely hurt," he said.

"I agree with everything George O'Grady said. No, I won't be speaking to Gary Evans. I thought the matter was dead and buried when a statement came out from the committee at the Forest Of Arden."

- NZPA