Colin Montgomerie 'terribly shocked' by car crash
- Published
Colin Montgomerie has spoken of his "terrible shock" after being involved in a car crash near Glasgow.
The golfer - who captained Europe to victory in the Ryder Cup - was driving his BMW southbound on the A80 when the incident happened at 1127 BST.
He said he was lucky to walk away from the crash "relatively unscathed", but he confirmed he was pulling out of a charity walk in Inverness on Friday.
Strathclyde Police said a male van driver had been charged over the crash.
Mr Montgomerie had been due to launch a walk in aid of the Elizabeth Montgomerie Foundation, which he set up in memory of his mother after she died of cancer.
Following the accident he has had to pull out, however, the walk will go ahead as planned.
Roadside treatment
Mr Montgomerie said: "I was trapped as the side of the car was compressed and the air bags were holding me back, but the passenger door suddenly opened and I was pulled to safety thanks to other drivers who had witnessed the accident.
"It was a terrible shock and I am lucky to have come out of it relatively unscathed, thanks I am sure to the car I was driving."
The crash, involving Mr Montgomerie's BMW 7-series and a van, happened on the A80, near Moodiesburn.
Mr Montgomerie felt it was unnecessary to go to hospital and received treatment at the roadside from the ambulance crew before being taken back to his home in Perth.
A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said: "One lane opened at 12.05pm. The road was fully cleared and reopened at 3.20pm.
"The van driver has been charged with alleged road traffic offences."
Mr Montgomerie, a former world number two, returned to playing golf last month and finished joint 41st at the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.