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Former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher has castigated Sandy Lyle for accusing the current incumbent at the European helm, Colin Montgomerie, of "cheating".

Lyle, who was responding to suggestions that he might have been snubbed for the Ryder Cup captaincy in 2010 after walking off the course in bad weather in the first round of last year's Open, dredged up the Indonesian Open incident of 2005.

Former European number one Montgomerie was caught on camera at the event replacing his ball in a more advantageous position in a bunker following a weather break and he received stinging criticism from some of his fellow professionals at the time.

But Gallacher has slammed Lyle for bringing the controversy up again four years later and has accused the 51-year-old Scot of sour grapes.

Dismay

"Sandy, unfortunately, is bitter at not being given the captaincy and what he has now done is below the belt for me," Gallacher said.

"Monty's explanation for what happened in the Indonesian Open was accepted by a forthright committee and, at that point, everyone should have put the matter behind them.

"I am sorry to say it but Sandy is out of order. It is very poor what he has done, especially in the week of The Open Championship, and someone really needs to give Sandy some advice."

Gallacher added in the Edinburgh Evening News: "Sandy's not coming out of this very well. The reason he was not given the captaincy is that they have gone back to someone who is in touch with the players. I don't think it is a personal thing against Sandy at all.

"This is certainly not going to do Sandy much good for the future. Some advisor or mentor needs to sit down with Sandy and tell him that he's got to get over this.

"Sandy's spent his whole life being a nice guy and now he's in grave danger of spoiling it. He's certainly spoiling it by saying things like this. People will see this as his bitterness at him not getting the captaincy."

Lyle could now face sanctions from the European Tour under their regulations which state: "It is an obligation of membership to refrain from comments to the media that attack, disparage or criticise tournament sponsors or promoters, fellow competitors, the European Tour or its officials."

Both Montgomerie and Lyle will now be the centre of attention at The Open on Thursday, meanwhile, as they are to tee off just an hour apart at the tournament.