A day with Monty...

Ever wondered what Colin Montgomerie gets up to when he’s not playing in a tournament? Well, we were given exclusive access to the Ryder Cup star on such a day and it proved both exhausting and demanding for the big Scot. Fulfilling a contractual commitment, he spent the first part of his day giving a series of TV and radio interviews - he gave a total of 22 separate interviews during the day - and then gave some youngsters a day to remember by not only giving them some coaching but also going out on the golf course with them. Find out
over the next few pages what he got up to . . .

Up at 4.30am, an earlier start than usual though not an unearthly hour for golfers given they are often on the range at the crack of dawn preparing for an early-morning tee-time, Monty arrives at the BBC Television Centre in the west end of London at 7.25am after driving in from his home in Surrey.

His entire day is being spent promoting the 2008 HSBC Wee Wonders Championship, an event for juniors that has gone from strength to strength over the past few years, and, over the next two-and-a-half hours, Monty is set to do a series of interviews for various BBC channels, both TV and radio.

After being met at the Stage Door by Chris Hollins, the BBC Breakfast sports presenter who has helped fix up this phase of the day, Monty is whisked away for the first of those interviews and, waiting for a lift to arrive, he’s asked by the BBC employee handed the task of directing him to the BBC World studio: “Any chance of a free lesson?”
“What’s the problem?” asks a jovial Monty and, after being told about his grip, he gladly offers some advice. “If it doesn’t work,” says the BBC bloke, cheekily, “I’ll just blame Colin Montgomerie.” Chuckling, Monty fires back: “Go on, why not, because everyone else does!”

Ironically, the first familiar face Monty sees on his way to BBC World is Rob Nothman, a man he once had a confrontation with during a radio interview at The Open at Muirfield in 2002. These days, Nothman is the sports presenter on Radio Four and, happily, there is no animosity whatsoever between the two. Indeed, Nothman comes to Monty’s rescue when the big Scot has an early crisis – he’s forgotten to bring a charger for his trusty Blackberry! “You can answer my emails if you want,” Monty informs a young lady as he leaves the Blackberry charging while he heads off for his first task in front of the cameras elsewhere in the vast building.

As he’s waiting in the wings for that interview on BBC World, Monty enjoys a quick cup of coffee and reveals he’d spent the previous afternoon at Stamford Bridge watching Chelsea and Liverpool fight out a goalless draw. “A poor game,” he remarks,