Colin Montgomerie sorry over affair
June 5, 2010

Colin Montgomerie says his performance as European Ryder Cup captain will not be affected by a newspaper report that he was unfaithful to his wife.

“No way will it affect the Ryder Cup captaincy. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone here at Celtic Manor in October,” Montgomerie said after shooting a second-round 70 at the Wales Open. “It’s not going to impact the captaincy, not at all.”

Montgomerie received support from Thomas Bjorn, the chairman of the Ryder Cup tournament committee.

“I have not spoken to him, but I feel it is a private matter for Monty that has nothing to do with me or any player out here,” Bjorn said. “It’s up to him to deal with it. I am not going to talk to him. I am going to leave him to play golf.”

The 47-year-old golfer cheated on his wife Gaynor with a former neighbor, Joanne Baldwin, according to a report in The Daily Mirror on Friday. The paper said he had ended the relationship and was trying to save his 2-year marriage.

“I have said everything I want to say about that,” Montgomerie said. “The crowd were very supportive of me today, everyone has been supportive. It’s up to Gaynor and I to work things out and that is continuing.”

Montgomerie had earlier issued a statement saying he had put his marriage “under considerable strain,” but that he and his wife were “working through these problems.” The Scot added that he was “very sorry for the hurt I have caused to the ones I love so much.”

Montgomerie and his first wife, Eimear Wilson, were divorced in 2004 after being married 14 years.