"I agree with Colin, actually. Let's stick to golf subjects here."

Wow is this going to be fun with these two Captains!

Never thought I'd say this, but Jim Gray is coming out of this smelling like, well, something. From today's Ryder Cup captain news conference at Whistling Straits:

Q. I wonder if you can set us straight on the whole Tiger Woods thing. He said yesterday he would accept a pick. You were quoted on by the GOLF CHANNEL as saying he'll be on the team. There was a Tweet this morning that said you were misquoted. Probably more than me are confused. Could you run us through what's right and what's not?

COREY PAVIN: Let's straighten this out right now. I had a conversation with Jim Gray yesterday just outside the locker room near where we registered and he asked me a few questions and his interpretation of what I said is incorrect.

There's nobody that's promised any picks right now. It would be disrespectful to everybody that's trying to make the team. I've got quite a few people I'm looking at. I would not disrespect any of the players that are potential players on the team, and obviously there was a misinterpretation of what I said, and that is an incorrect quote.

I don't believe the report was about promised picks. The question he asked was, will you pick him if he doesn't make the team. Just saying...

Q. In regards to the misquoting, could you kind of go through with us exactly what you did say that he could have taken so out of context?

COREY PAVIN: Well, I don't want to get into specifics of the conversation really. But it certainly was something I did not say. Let's just keep it as simple as that. It was incorrect.

Now, onto our other issue of the day...

Q. Monty, I don't know if you're aware, your old friend, Feherty went on a nationally syndicated radio show yesterday and talked about the existence of a super injunction in the U.K. that would bar some potentially embarrassing personal photos, wonder if you want to confirm, comment, deny the existence of those and how it might affect your captaincy at all.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Yeah, obviously I listened to that radio show and I know a lot of you are having a lot of fun right now at my expense.

Oh Colin, Colin. You so misunderstand the media. We mostly talk about how to attain world peace and prosperity. But go on...

Let me clear this up, though, that I can categorically say that there's no injunction against the News of the World. I'm really not going to discuss this any -- any further. All I can say is categorically there is no injunction against the News of the World regarding anything.

I apologize for this, that you have to bring this up, but at the same time, no further -- no further comments from myself on that matter.

Well there you have it, no injunction against News of the World. That should put the entire thing to rest!

Now about your players...

Q. You said we might be having a bit of fun at your expense, but have you any concerns that your potential -- your team, might also be having some fun?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: None at all. None at all. I've spoken to a number of the players, and there's no issue here at all. Nothing at all.

How did those conversations go, exactly?

Back to Corey about Tiger and their long awaited summit.

Q. Could you share any of that conversation? Were you clearing up what was said yesterday?

COREY PAVIN: We were just trying to figure out what we were going to have for dinner tonight and how our kids are growing up and how they are getting bigger.

Ah, there's a nice anecdote, a little sharing of your private conversation. Thanks. Any more?

Actually, you know what, the conversations that I have with all of my players or potential players are between us.

But you just...

It's very serious stuff sometimes that we with talk about and sometimes it isn't. Out of respect for privacy and how I go about doing things, it won't be discussed besides what we've been eating and things like that.

Now Monty, about that...

Q. There is an injunction against Paula Tadd; correct?

Whoa...where did that come from?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Excuse me, I'm here to talk about The Ryder Cup, okay. So please, no further questions on that or any other subject regarding anything -- or anything regarding my private life. By definition that, is private.

The dreaded non-denial denial.

COREY PAVIN: I agree with Colin, actually. Let's stick to golf subjects here. We'd appreciate that. Thank you.

So about that conversation with Jim Gray...

Feherty: Monty Has Filed An Injunction To Keep "Story out of the newspapers"

Josh Hart reports the remarks made by CBS golf announcer David Feherty on Dan Patrick's radio show. You can listen the interview here.

Feherty, a golf commentator for CBS Sports added: "Apparently there's been an injunction filed to keep this story out of the newspapers."  

Host Dan Patrick, who seemed to know more, but wanted to say less, did add: "There are pictures..." and then began to talk about Monty's earlier divorce.

Brooks has more, saying that it involves photos and would explain a curious recent question from the Daily Mail about Monty quitting as captain.

That court fight allegedly involves embarrassing photos of Montgomerie obtained by the U.K. tabloid. In order to block the supposed photos from being published by NOTW, Montgomerie has allegedly obtained an injunction from London’s high court.

"European skipper Colin Montgomerie has revealed he will wait until after The Open at St Andrews to confirm his two vice-captains for the Ryder Cup."

I know you're disappointed at this news. Maybe he's just waiting to talk to Faldo?

Monty Gets His License Back!

Thanks reader Brian for this hilarious tale of bureaucratic bungling...I actually felt for Monty after reading this!

"So follow me, if you will, as we magically enter the head of the eight-time European number one."

John Huggan tries to think like Monty and as you'd expect, it's not pretty.

Monty: Enter The Tournament I'm Chair Of, Assuming You Want To Be A Captain's Pick

Derek Lawrenson on Monty telling Europe's leading players that if they skip final qualifying spot at Gleneagles in August--which conflicts with the first FedEx Cup playoff event--they risk missing out on the Ryder Cup should they not make the team on points.

‘I’ll be very surprised if I pick any player on the border of the team whom I ask to play at Gleneagles and they don’t show up,’ he said. ‘I expect there will be about eight
 candidates for my three wild cards and it should be a given that they turn up at the final event.’

A fascinating battle of wills, therefore, between the captain and some of those who have served Europe so well at past Ryder Cups. It will be interesting to see who blinks first.

Garcia, for example, was shocked when he learned of the clash between the FedEx Cup and the last qualifying event, the Johnnie Walker Championship.

‘Why have they done that?’ asked the Spaniard, who didn’t even turn up at the European Tour’s flagship event at Wentworth last month. ‘The Ryder Cup is very important but you can’t change your whole schedule for it.’

There's just one glaring conflict of interest issue here and I know you'll be shocked....shocked, to learn that it involves Captain Monty!

Monty, who also happens to be tournament host at that event at Gleneagles, was furious when Nick Faldo, captain last time, picked two wild cards who took up the FedEx Cup option: Casey and Ian Poulter.

And the reactions? Alistair Tait in Golfweek:

The man gives the impression that he is in complete control. Yet underneath, it’s hard not to leave one of his news conferences with the impression he’s making things up as he goes along.

Peter Dixon says Monty tried to backtrack, but not really.

When pushed, however, Montgomerie was forced to backtrack. “OK, no, it’s not cast in stone. I cannot tell people to be playing in particular tournaments,” he said. “I can only ask. But I would be very surprised if I ask those particular players that are on the border [and] they are not there.”

And it seems that this will be the case, at least for Sergio. Mark Reason writes:

“I, you, the audience can’t envisage a Ryder Cup without Sergio. He’s a different case. I will be asking him to participate at Gleneagles to make the effort that’s required to be on the team.

“He’s the one guy that’s brought passion to the Ryder Cup after Seve. Seve’s the most passionate player I’ve seen play golf. Sergio is of that ilk. He’s been a great asset to any team I’ve been on with him.”

To call Garcia a different case is asking for trouble. Monty might think in private that Garcia is a different case and there are many who would agree with Europe’s Ryder Cup captain. But it is ill-advised to say so in public.