DEREK LAWRENSON: Nick Faldo reignites the argument with TV snap at Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie

They are the two most recognisable faces in British golf. And right now, they cant stand one another.

It is never pretty when two egos clash and the simmering feud between Colin Montgomerie and Sir Nick Faldo lest we forget, the present and immediate pastcaptains of Europes Ryder Cup team is threatening to turn really unpleasant.

Monty and Faldo have history when it comes to bickering with their fellow pros, so perhaps it was inevitable that at some point they would turn on each other.

Enemies: Ryder Cup captain Montgomerie and Nick Faldo do not see eye-to-eye

Here is a brief history of their contretemps.

Monty has been chipping away at Faldos hopeless captaincy almost from the moment the last match finished at Oakland Hills.

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He was upset with some justification, it should be said at how he was treated in the long run-up to that match and it was as much as he could do, for the sake of team unity, to keep his views to himself.

Once the match had taken place, however, he wasted no time in venting his feelings, and has upped the ante in recent interviews by making it clear he would not be seeking Faldos advice.

Naturally, someone with the Englishmans self-regard could not allow that to pass without comment.

On CBS television in America on Saturday, the self-styled SNick used his position as chief analyst to get his own back.

Faldo was telling viewers about how Ian Poulter got into golf after watching him play in the 1993 Ryder Cup.

;He also got a signed ball from Monty, Jim Nantz, his fellow commentator, pointed out.

Oh dear. Nantz was clearly unaware that the worst thing you could do to Faldo when he is basking in his own glory is to bring up Monty.

;Cant have everything in life, I suppose, said Faldo. As Nantz tried to steer the conversation into less controversial waters, Faldo reached for the stilleto.

;Montys too busy these days cutting my head off to try to make himself look taller, he added.

I suspect we have not heard the last of this one.

Refs cut up rough on rule dunces

It has always struck me as ridiculous that so many players do not know the rules of the game they play. Yes, golfs rules book is right up there with watching paint dry and grass grow. But if it was your livelihood, wouldnt you make an effort?

Some players have got into a habit of just calling on a referee to explain even the most basic decisions, which hardly squares with what was intended as a self-regulatory game. Now the referees are fighting back.

Tired of being called over yon valley and several fairways to point out rules that some players, if they were not so lazy, should know with their eyes shut, European Tour chief referee John Paramor and his able deputy Andy McFee have developed a rules DVD.

Any player calling on them to make what they consider a ;frivolous ruling will be made to attend a seminar.

If they do not attend it within three events they will be barred from entry to the next tournament.

Sounds to me like a rule we can all agree on.

Quote of the week

;I do plan to return to golf one day, I just dont know when that day will be. I do not rule out that it will be this year.

Speaking out: Shamed world No 1 Tiger Woods addresses the world last Friday

Just a thought, but if the latest intelligence suggesting Tiger Woods will be back as soon as the Masters is right, where does that leave his quote above? Wouldnt it be adding grist to the mill of his opponents who thought last Fridays speech a fraud?

Perhaps it was just as well that American Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin was playing in a US Senior Tour event last week. It would have spared him watching his boys getting a spanking at the Accenture Match Play Championship.

While Colin Montgomerie must have been watching with a smile getting broader with every putt holed by the likes of Ian Poulter, Paul Casey and Sergio Garcia, what was there to encourage Pavin?

In the only event staged all year that mirrors the Ryder Cups 18-hole format, a DVD made up for Pavin comprising the weeks highlights from his perspective would have lasted about as long as a television commercial.

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