Monty suffers 'terrible shock' in car accident

(GETTY IMAGES)

Colin Montgomerie suffered shock and severe bruising after being involved in a traffic accident near Glasgow yesterday. Montgomerie's car and a van collided but neither driver required hospital treatment. The 47-year-old's car was involved in a pile-up in roadworks as he made his way from his home near Gleneagles to visit his father James.

In a statement Montgomerie's management company International Management Group said he had suffered shock and severe bruising after his car had been involved in a collision with another vehicle.

"I began spinning out of control," Montgomerie, who led Europe to Ryder Cup victory earlier this month, said in the statement. "I was trapped as the side of the car was compressed and the air bags were holding me back but the passenger door suddenly opened and I was pulled to safety thanks to other drivers who had witnessed the accident. It was a terrible shock and I am lucky to have come out of it relatively unscathed."

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said they had received a report of a collision involving a van, a lorry and two cars. The spokesman said: "Three ambulances were sent to the scene but no one required hospitalisation. There were minor and superficial injuries."

A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said: "Police received a report of a crash on the A80 at Moodiesburn at around 11.30am. It does not look as though anyone is seriously injured." Firefighters helped to clear the vehicles from the carriageway.

Montgomerie, the former world No 2, returned to playing golf last month and finished joint 41st at the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland. He dropped from 135th to 425th in the world during his term as Ryder Cup captain ahead of the tournament at Celtic Manor, south Wales earlier this month.

Montgomerie's compatriot Paul Lawrie yesterday fired seven birdies in nine holes to move into a two-shot lead during the first round of the Castello Masters in Spain. The former Open champion picked up four consecutive birdies from the seventh to the 10th holes to sit on seven under par after 16. France's Jean-Baptiste Gonnet and Holland's Joost Luiten led the pursuit of the Scot. Gonnet, who was also yet to drop a shot in his first 12 holes, fired five birdies, including three in his first four.

Joost was doing things the hard way, picking up two bogeys in his first three holes – at the 10th and 12th – before six birdies put him firmly back in contention for the lead.

England's James Morrison and another Frenchman, Gregory Bourdy, lay fourth on four under. Morrison had six birdies, including five in his first eight holes, and two bogeys after 16, while Bourdy had four birdies, two bogeys and an eagle at the par-five 13th. Morrison's countryman Steve Webster was one of eight players on three under.