DISCRETION was the better part of, er, Valderrama for Colin Montgomerie yesterday when the Scots golfer played the Spanish course amid reports of a new friendship with an international model.

Shortly after being told by his manager over breakfast that his private life was once again the talk of the tabloids, he went on to score a dismal round that effectively knocked him out of the Volvo Masters.

''It's not doing his golf much good,'' said a course marshal as he observed Montgomerie's lacklustre performance.

The golfer, who last month was divorced from Eimear, his wife of 14 years, is reported to have found companionship in the shape of 30-year-old Ines Sastre, the Spanish catwalk star and face of Lancome, the French cosmetics firm.

The pair confirmed their friendship after being photographed together in Hola!, the Spanish celebrity magazine

''Strange how these things happen,'' the Ryder Cup star said with a smile yesterday. ''I am a public figure and what happens is your private life becomes more public than you would sometimes hope for.

''I've not read the papers, but there you are. We've made the front pages. You want to do that when you are growing up, but when you are grown up I'm not sure. It made concentrating more difficult today.''

The smiles and some comments from European tour colleagues let him know that he was the talk of the locker room. He did not mind that - it was the response he expected.

''My fellow competitors have given me great support over the year - fantastic,'' he said.

''It's been an interesting year and it's ending interestingly. I must lose weight more often!''

Montgomerie has shed 40lb since July and said recently that part of that was caused by exercising to make him tired because he was having trouble sleeping.

Asked the whereabouts of the model this week, he replied that she was in London - but not staying at his flat.

Montgomerie has known Ms Sastre for only a matter of weeks. Their paths first collided at the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews in late September. Both had been playing in the event (she plays with a 30 handicap) and met at the tournament dinner where, it is reported, they shared a dance.

They are said to have enjoyed an intimate dinner in one of Spain's top restaurants when the player arrived in the country last week for the Madrid Open.

Ms Sastre, regarded as one of Spain's most beautiful women, is an actress as well as a model.

She grew up in Madrid but has lived in London for several years.

In April, Montgomerie flew home from the China Masters in a bid to patch up his failing marriage. Days later, a separation was announced.

The couple were formally divorced in September.

Montgomerie's obsession with his golf game was said to have contributed to the marriage break-up.