Colin Montgomerie is not the chubby chappy he used to be, since shedding a stone and a half recently, and the Scot looked positively pale and drawn after being penalised two strokes yesterday.
The seven-time European number one arrived one minute late to launch his defence of the International Open title at Nord-Eichenried and the officials were waiting to pounce.
European Tour rules dictate all three players in a group must be on the tee and ready to play at the appointed time. Germany's Sven Struver and Denmark's Steen Tinning were there, but Monty was not.
Padraig Harrington was best-placed of the Irish after an opening round of 67. Gary Murphy was just one shot further adrift, with Eamon Darcy much further back after shooting a 78.
Had it been the Sunday medal at the local municipal club Montgomerie would have been disqualified, but the Tour permits a five-minute grace period. Hence he merely had to accept he was two over par even before striking his first drive.
None too pleased, the scowling Scot pulled it into the rough. His four was transformed into a double-bogey six and that plunged him a numbing 10 shots behind the pacemaker Per-Ulrik Johansson.
It took him 16 holes to get back those two strokes and he instantly followed up with a two at the 17th. But he pulled his drive behind a tree at the last, failed to nudge his ball back on to the fairway and ended as he began with a six for a level-par 72.
After the chief referee, Andy McFee, confirmed the penalty, Montgomerie admitted: "I thought I was off at 1.30 not 1.20. Instead of being nine minutes and 40 seconds early I arrived 20 seconds late. Rules are rules. It's the first time in my career this has happened, it won't happen again."
He goes into the second round, eight behind the joint leaders Johansson and David Gilford, who is barely among the leading 100 players.
More significantly, perhaps, he lies five shots adrift of the Australian Greg Norman and two behind the co-favourite Ernie Els. Norman (45), is edging back towards his fiercely competitive best following arthroscopic surgery on his right hip.
"The only thing I'm allowed to do right now is ride a bike, but when I start doing weights with my legs I should be fully fit by Christmas," Norman said.
The man who will carry the Olympic torch across Sydney harbour bridge at 6 a.m. on September 15th would love to snatch his first victory for three years.
Gilford is seeking his first victory for six years. "The work I've been doing with a new coach David Whelan is paying off," he said. "The swing looks a bit better on the video."
