Golf: European duo hit back at Crenshaw claims
Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington have hit back at claims of deliberate slow play by the European team at the last Ryder Cup match.
Ben Crenshaw, the American captain in Boston, believes that Mark James's side used it as a tactic.
But Montgomerie and Harrington refute that and the Scot claims he cannot remember Davis Love speaking to him and partner Paul Lawrie about it during their first day foursomes clash, as Crenshaw also claims in his new book.
"It's unbelievable. I was at every one of our team meetings and it was never discussed," said the Scot. "I don't know how to play slowly.
"Paul and I had a couple of ideas about how to react to situations, but slow play was not one of them."
The fact that Crenshaw has gone into print 18 months on from Brookline is something Montgomerie regrets.
"It's a shame. It's hurting for commercialism's sake the next match (at The Belfry in September) and we don't want it brought up again.
"But it has been dug up again and now if somebody does play slowly people will say it's on purpose."
Harrington, well aware that he does have a reputation for slowness, stated: "I would be prepared to get a Bible out and say that I was never told anything."
Crenshaw writes: "The pace was excruciatingly slow, to the point that we nearly didn't get finished the first night.
"Ask Davis (Love), ask Tom (Lehman). Many times the Europeans were the last ones to get to the next tee and they seemed to deliberate more than usual.
"Saturday afternoon Phil (Mickelson) was so frustrated at the 11th tee that he hit his drive before the Europeans (Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke) arrived.
"Davis and Justin were equally upset on Friday when Davis told Colin (Montgomerie) and (Paul) Lawrie 'Look, we have to get on with these matches. You can't slow play us forever'.
"I have a feeling the slow play was designed to throw us off our pace. Whatever the reason, it's safe to say that there was a concerted effort to slow things down."
