News

Monty and Lyle: Perhaps we should try this again

July 14, 2009

TURNBERRY, Scotland -- One would hope that if you're going to go to all the trouble of calling a news conference, reading a prepared statement to a packed media room, and then subject yourself to an uncomfortable series of questions afterward, that it would at least be worth your while.

Not so for Sandy Lyle, who not only failed to impress the gathered media with his awkward apology to Colin Montgomerie for digging back up accusations of cheating, but also managed to [further alienate Montgomerie in the process.

](http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/jul/14/colin-montgomerie-sandy-lyle-the-open)

"It was a rather strange apology to be honest with you," Montgomerie said. "I have read the apology, I am digesting it and I will let you know when I have digested it further. I am just trying to come down here and compete in The Open and my preparations have been slightly dented. I am not very happy about that at all. It was a very, very strange apology to be honest with you and you will hear from me later on."

Montgomerie was at least right about one thing: Lyle's apology was strange in that he never completely backed off his original comments. He was sorry for saying it. And he was sorry that it caused such a fuss (actually, he was really sorry about it). But there was nothing in his remarks Tuesday that suggested his view of Montgomerie had changed.

"I'm only going form what other people have said, and it was a pretty poor drop," Lyle said Tuesday. "And it was one of his mistakes. And it will probably live with him for the rest of his life. It'll be cropping up. I can't do anything that."

So the saga continues. Montgomerie said he'll have more to say, which means his comments will then have to go back to Lyle, and Lyle will have to respond as well. This could go on for days. Meanwhile, they're supposedly going to play a golf tournament here beginning tomorrow.

-- Sam Weinman