GOLF RYDER CUP 2010:IF IMITATION is the sincerest form of flattery then Rory McIlroy will be chuffed he was the subject of a prank when some of his team-mates and caddies donned bushy black wigs on the first tee yesterday.
Captain Montgomerie instigated the move to imitate the 21-year-old’s curly black locks, with Graeme McDowell, Luke Donald and Martin Kaymer and four caddies all sporting the “dodgy” perms.
Monty wanted to deflect the heat away from the rookie after a rivalry between him and Tiger Woods grabbed the headlines in recent days.
“I think Rory was quite upset with the comments that were made in the papers this week about this Tiger situation,” said Montgomerie. “It was getting out of hand, tabloid-wise.
“So what we decided to do was find seven wigs – God knows how people do that but they do, especially ones looking like that – and the caddies and players that were playing with him decided we’ll get Rory on the first tee and make him feel part of the team again.
“That was the right thing to do. He played magnificently so we’re all back on level terms again,” added the skipper.
– Paul Gallagher
