Colin Montgomerie had playing partner Costantino Rocca ducking for cover in the early stages of the first round of the Italian Open this morning.
Montgomerie pulled his drive on the par-five 11th, his second hole of the day, on the picturesque Gardagolf course near Lake Garda in Brescia.
Partially blocked by trees in front of him, the Scot attempted to pitch out onto the fairway but the ball squirted out sideways and almost hit Rocca and his caddie as they stood waiting to play their second shot.
Montgomerie immediately apologised to his former Ryder Cup team-mate, shouting "Sorry about that!", and the Italian was obviously not too disturbed as he hit his second shot just through the back of the green, and chipped and putted for a birdie four.
Now playing his third shot, Montgomerie was left with a long iron to the 514-yard hole but found the front of the green and two-putted for par, holing out from five feet after charging his first putt past.
That was probably a reaction to his opening hole when a birdie attempt from eight feet was right on line but left inches short, and the former European number one missed another birdie opportunity from six feet on the 12th.
Armed with new cavity-backed clubs, the 39-year-old Scot had carded a brilliant 62 in yesterday's pre-tournament pro-am, and must have been wondering whether he had used up all his luck a day early.
At level par he was two shots off the early pace set by a five-strong group which included Londoner Anthony Wall, Ireland's Gary Murphy and Argentinian Ricardo Gonzalez, at 91st the only other member of the world's top 100 apart from Montgomerie playing this week.
PA