The 45-year-old nine-time European Tour Order Of Merit winner of Dunning in Perthshire admitted in the Feltham Magistrates' Court to driving his silver Bentley at 70mph in a 40mph zone along Kingston Road, the A3, in Kingston upon Thames, South west London, on March 30.

The prosecution claimed it was the third time Monty has been involved in court proceedings for allegedly driving too fast.

Last year, he was accused of driving at 88mph on the M80 near Falkirk, but the case was dismissed.

In 2004 he was accused of travelling at 96mph, again on the A3, but the case collapsed when a policeman failed to attend court.

In 2006 Montgomerie was also given three points on his driving license for speeding.

On Monday at Feltham, the Telegraph reported the chair of the bench Jagpreet Tucker as saying: "This court does take seriously speeding and we hope we don't see you again."

Montgomerie's lawyer known to many as 'Mr Loophole' because of his effectiveness in helping clients avoid traffic fines, helped the golfer escape a driving ban, but not a fine of £750 plus £85 costs.

The prosecutor, Suqi Smith said Montgomerie had told police: "I did not realise I was going that fast, this car is too quick."

Mr Freeman told the court that his client was en route to see his three children when he was caught.

He sped up to overtake an HGV which had crept into his lane, the solicitor said.

Despite driving down to Surrey from Scotland every weekend to see his children of his first marriage, and frequently for work, he has only received one fixed penalty and has three points on his license, Mr Freeman added.

He said: "He's driven well in excess of a million miles in his career and he's never been disqualified."