Montgomerie retains focus amid infidelity claims

RYDER CUP captain Colin Montgomerie insisted last night that new revelations about his private life would not have any effect on his Ryder Cup captaincy.

Montgomerie issued a statement after a tabloid newspaper ran a story saying he had been seeing a former girlfriend again for a while.

The newspaper claimed yesterday that the eight-time European number one, whose 14-year first marriage ended in divorce in 2004, had confessed to wife Gaynor that he had been having “a secret affair with his ex-lover Joanne Baldwin.”

Married for the second time two years ago, the 46-year-old Scot said in the statement: “I have put my marriage under considerable strain, but we are working through these problems.

“I am very sorry for the hurt I have caused to the ones I love so much. I would ask that my family and I are given the space and privacy to continue trying to resolve the issues. I will be making no further comment.”

Montgomerie is playing in the Wales Open this week at Celtic Manor, the course near Newport where he will lead Europe’s attempt to win back the Ryder Cup from the Americans in October.

Despite the distraction, he is in contention for a first win in three years after a second successive 70 left him two under par at halfway – only four strokes behind German Marcel Siem and Australian Andrew Dodt as the second round drew to a conclusion.

Agreeing to speak to reporters after his round he was inevitably questioned about the matter and commented: “I have said everything I have to say about that. I have already made a statement.

“The crowd were very supportive and it’s up to Gaynor and I to work things out and continue and we look forward to welcoming everybody here in October.

“It’s not going to impact on my captaincy at all. Not one bit.”

Montgomerie then said: “There was no question of me not playing today. The only thing to do today was play golf.”

He was also linked to Spanish model Ines Sastre before meeting Gaynor, the widow of furniture tycoon George Knowles, who had died while on holiday in Majorca.

With seven children between them – Montgomerie had two daughters and a son with first wife Eimear – they were married at Loch Lomond in April 2008.

Montgomerie moved back to his home country so they could set up home together in Perthshire.