The managers of Ian Poulter and Colin Montgomerie last night vigorously denied that the golfers, Ryder Cup team-mates in 2004, had to be separated after a stand-up row in a West London restaurant. “It is all made up,” Paul Dunkley, Poulter's manager, said. “It is a typical publicity-machine sort of story and there is no truth in it whatsoever.”

A Sunday newspaper alleged that a “swaying” Poulter and Montgomerie had had a “furious bust-up” in the early hours of Saturday morning. Describing it as “a war of words”, the newspaper said it was to do with Poulter's selection by Nick Faldo for a place in the Europe team to face the United States in Kentucky next week.

The newspaper quoted an unnamed onlooker at Zuma, the fashionable Japanese restaurant, as saying: “Poulter had just finished a meal with his pals Brian McFadden and Nicky Byrne of Westlife when he spotted Monty across the room. He had had a few ales inside him and went over to have a word.

“The next thing we knew the two of them were arguing about the Ryder Cup. They were standing up and shouting at each other, turning the air blue. Luckily, the Westlife lads ran over and tore Poulter away. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened. Monty thought Poulter should have earned his place in the team rather than chasing a big pay day [in the US] and he told him so. Poulter wasn't having it and told Monty to keep his nose out.”

Dunkley confirmed that Poulter and Katie, his wife, were in the restaurant on Friday night. But he vigorously denied the newspaper's version of events. Guy Kinnings, Montgomerie's manager and the best man at his wedding to Gaynor, his second wife, said: “Where do stories like this come from?

“What happened was that Monty and Poulter were both in Zuma on Friday night. Monty had popped in for a quiet meal with Gaynor. They passed the table where Ian was sitting and the two wives waved at one another and Colin and Ian chatted for a few moments. Colin wished Ian luck and that was that.”

Montgomerie and Poulter have exchanged words in the past, most recently at this season's European Open at The London club, and after a Sevy Trophy match a few years ago about Poulter's apparent lack of support for a team in which they both appeared. But nothing compared to what is alleged to have happened in Zuma. As Montgomerie said: “I don't get into a brawl with people in restaurants.”