Golf Tour news Two of golf's major stars clashed yesterday, a row that required the tournament referee to be called in and later needed a further session behind closed doors

Thomas Bjorn and Colin Montgomerie were playing partners in the second round of the Johnnie Walker Classic at the Alpine club in the Thai capital when what was perceived as a breach of etiquette by the Scot caused the Dane to react furiously.

Bjorn, still the leader on 132, 12 under par, was playing the par-five seventh, their 16th of the day.

Bjorn was by the side of the green in three but Montgomerie, having hit his second into a greenside lake, was playing his fourth from a drop zone. He played up and then, as Bjorn was weighing up his chip, the Scot marched over the bridge to the green, distracting Bjorn.

He stood away from his shot, glared at Montgomerie, who in turn looked behind him. When Bjorn hit an indifferent chip and then missed the par putt, he pointed his putter at his partner.

At the end of the round Montgomerie went as if to speak to Bjorn but the Dane refused to talk until a Tour referee, Miguel Vidaor, was summoned. Later Vidaor said: "They had their differences and they have been resolved. They have shaken hands on it."

By the time Bjorn (right) got to the press room he wanted to play the whole incident down.

"I know you really want to hear what that was all about," said the Dane. "But this is staying between me and Monty and the European tour.

"I have the utmost respect for Monty as a golf player and things happen once in a while on the golf course where players who are as competitive as we are have a difference of opinion. We took it in private and dealt with it."

Bjorn, by adding a four-under 68 to his opening 64, leads by two from England's David Lynn. Nick Faldo's second-round 70, for 135, nine under, leaves him in third place, three behind Bjorn. Montgomerie, with a 67, is eight behind the leader.

They may well have lost a city, but Nick Price had no trouble finding exactly what he was looking for in the second round of the South African Tour Dimension Data Pro-Am yesterday.

After a slow start to his round which saw him one over par through nine holes at the Lost City Golf Club, the Zimbabwean clicked into gear and worked his way to the top of the leaderboard with an impressive display of ball-striking on a back nine which yielded four birdies for a three-under-par 69 and a total of five-under-par 139.

Ireland's Colm Moriarty and Ciarán McMonagle just survived the cut on 151. Moriarty shot 77, 74 while McMonagle fired 76, 75. Padraig Dooley missed out despite a 74 which left him three shots away on 154.