Snapper upsets the Big Easy

A photographer with a special interest in Colin Montgomerie upset Ernie Els during the second round of the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond today.

“I don’t know if he has ever been on a golf course before and it’s been annoying,” said Els. “He had no idea and he put me off quite a few times.

“Everybody knows you take the picture after you play the shot. He was good when Monty was playing – he must be a Scot with a bet on!”

Come the 18th green, the South African’s caddie Ricci Roberts ran out of patience and had words with the man, but stopped short of doing what Tiger Woods’ caddie Steve Williams did once – grab the camera and throw it in a lake.

“There’s a big loch there and I was thinking of doing it myself, but I would probably get fined,” added Els.

Montgomerie said the problem was that the photographer was focused on him all the time and so was not paying attention when Els was playing.

It did not have too damaging an effect on the performance of either player, or the group’s third member Lee Westwood.

Montgomerie finished the day on five under par, only four behind leader Gregory Havret, and the other two are only one further back.

The seven-time European number one had made it his goal to finish ahead of Els and Westwood and commented: “Part one accomplished. The the way they are playing if I can stay ahead for 72 holes I’ll probably win.

“Ernie is so relaxed it’s a joke and Lee is full of confidence. But mine is higher than it has been.

“My caddie said it was good that I was upset when I missed a three-footer on the last yesterday. He said ‘I think we’re getting you back here’ and he was right.”

Montgomerie’s marriage broke up in April and for the next two months was a shadow of his former self.