European Tour chief referee John Paramor has suggested that the Ryder Cup may finish for the first time in its history on a Monday after admitting it was a "contingency".

Having spent more time with one another in the last week than most married couples, the good news is Tiger Woods and Pádraig Harrington were still talking with one another after a four-and-a-half hour walk.

TIGER WOODS flexed his considerable muscle as one of the most powerful men in golf last night when he threw more fuel on the blaze of controversy that has been raging since he accused a European Tour rules official of sabotaging the climax of Sunday’s Bridgestone Invitational.

Tiger Woods sparked controversy in the wake of his World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational victory last night when he criticised a tournament official for putting him and Padraig Harrington on the clock over the closing holes.

Padraig Harrington lost his head-to-head struggle with Tiger Woods at Firestone Country Club but promised the world number one: “We’ll do battle many times again.”

Scotland’s Richie Ramsay had his hopes of a first European Tour victory boosted today before another ball was struck in the Celtic Manor Wales Open.

Phillip Archer and Graeme Storm remained in strong contention at the Johnnie Walker Classic today, with 69s to finish the third round 11 under – three strokes behind tournament leader Taichiro Kiyota.

An eventful few days in Darren Clarke’s career continued today with an unusual one-stroke penalty in the BMW Championship at Wentworth.

Ever since his Ryder Cup heroics last September, Colin Montgomerie’s entire golfing focus has been on trying to get back into the world’s top 50.

FOUR Englishmen share the lead after the first round of the €2.5m Daily Telegraph-Dunlop Masters at the Forest of Arden.

Colin Montgomerie plays his first tournament in Britain for seven months next week having just given all his prize money from a recent event to charity - because of a controversial incident.

Sergio Garcia remains favourite for the Volvo Masters at Valderrama this weekend – but only after a rules inquiry which for a few anxious moments looked as if it might result in his disqualification.

SERGIO GARCIA came dangerously close to disqualification in the tournament that he has dominated from the start here at Valderrama.

Mark Roe, famous for seeing his dream of winning the Open dashed by a rules blunder last year, was disqualified again in Heidelberg today.

A two-shot penalty cost Eduardo Romero the halfway lead in the British Masters at the Forest of Arden today – and damaged his hopes of becoming the European tour’s oldest-ever winner.

Former champion Tom Lehman had his own word for the Open slow play regulations today - "crazy".

Seve Ballesteros has accepted a severe reprimand and undisclosed fine for his controversial conduct in the Italian Open three weeks ago.

Seve Ballesteros appears to be sticking to his view that he was made a special target when he was disqualified from the Italian Open two weeks ago.

THE FEATHERS were ruffled during last week’s Italian Open, but the fur could really fly at The Belfry over the next few days when Seve Ballesteros renews contact with the officials of the PGA Europen Tour during the Benson & Hedges International.

A trip to the toilet cost England World Cup winner David Carter a two-shot penalty on the opening day of the ANZ Championship in Sydney today.

Sergio Garcia will appear before the European Tour’s tournament committee in July over his show of temper at the Greg Norman Holden International in Sydney three months ago.

Greg Norman believes Sergio Garcia should have asked for an official to clear up the controversy in the third round of the Holden International.