By David Sharp, BBC Sport at Loch Lomond

Colin Montgomerie was one of 10 out of 15 Scots to miss the cut

The abject figure of Scotland's number one golfer, Colin Montgomerie, is illuminated among the lush greenery. It's been a bad day at the office.

Monty has spoken this year of his concern at the lack of emerging talent in Scottish golf. This sparked chat in the media of some kind of crisis.

After two rounds of uninspiring golf the 45-year-old appeared to be in the midst of some kind of mini meltdown himself.

The eight-time European Order of Merit winner finished with a 75 via a visit to the bunker. The cut line fell at one-under-par 141. Monty's combined score for the two days was 144.

Sadly, it was to be a premature exit for him on the bonnie, bonnie banks for a second successive year.

And so, it was left to 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie to carry the hopes of a golfing nation. Of the 15 Scots who started the tournament only five made it to the weekend's 36-hole showdown.

Montgomerie was the last Scotsman to win here, in the same year Aberdonian Lawrie became the last Scot to win one of the big four with Sandy Lyle preceding him at the 1986 Open. Monty has, of course, never won a Major and is rapidly running out of time.

If Montgomerie fails to make this year's Ryder Cup team it will be the first time in the modern era that the nation that invented the game hasn't been represented at golf's premier team event.

Lawrie thinks Scottish golf is littered with a host of players performing below expectation and includes himself among that unfortunate number.

"I'm underachieving, there's no question and there are quite a few of us that are," the 38-year-old opined.

"But it isn't because we're lazy or because we don't want to get better.

"We're just going through a bit of a strange spell," he lamented.

But this so-called 'strange spell' or, as Monty put it recently, "transition" period has been going on for 30 years. Nevertheless Lawrie is upeat about the future.

His Junior Golf Development Foundation, based in Aberdeen, looks after between 2-3,000 children every year, with the ambition to expand across Scotland and beyond.

I'm underachieving, there's no question and there are quite a few of us that are Former Open champion Paul Lawrie

"There's a huge amount of talent out there. They just need a wee bit of confidence and then they're off," Lawrie said.

"We're certainly working hard and everyone involved in our programme is doing their bit and hopefully everyone else will do their bit too.

Current Scottish Amateur Champion, John Gallagher, competing in his first Scottish Open, is already doing his bit.

He was engulfed by a gaggle of young souvenir hunters after wrapping up his second round on Friday. The genial 26-year-old happily handed out balls and visors to the excited children. It was a heart-warming scene.

Following a cataclysmic collapse on the 17th and 18th, where he squandered five shots, Gallagher narrowly missed the cut. But it was a good week for the man from Swanston New club in Edinburgh.

He is adamant that all the talk of Scottish golf being in turmoil has been over-egged and, like Lawrie, talked of 'confidence' and self-belief as the key to a turnaround in fortunes.

"I just think it's only a matter of time before we produce another Colin Montgomerie," Gallagher told BBC Sport.

"It's just about taking that leap, having the belief. It's more of a mental thing.

"I think Scottish golf is looking ok, I really do.

Paul Lawrie was the last Scot to win one of golf's Majors

"I don't think anyone is underachieving at all, I just think it's a matter of time before it all clicks into place.

"A lot of Scottish amateurs, like Richie Ramsay and Lloyd Saltman, have dominated world amateur tournaments in recent years."

Gordon Sherry is a man who knows plenty about expectation and unfulfilled potential. He famously exploded onto the scene as an amateur in 1995 after finishing fourth behind Wayne Riley, Nick Faldo and Monty at the Scottish Open.

The following week he hit a hole-in-one during a practice round for the Open at St Andrews with legends Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. The Golden Bear even signed his ball.

Although Sherry didn't win the Silver Medal for the lowest scoring amateur, he did collect a �1 note in a friendly wager with a promising, ludicrously baby-faced American amateur named, wait for it, Tiger Woods, whom he outscored at the Old Course.

Sherry turned professional that same giddy year but his career hit the skids after failing to win his European Tour card.

He is clear about what is wrong with Scottish golf.

"There needs to be less chat and more help for promising youngsters, especially in that transition from the amateur to the pro ranks. A lot of players, as I was, are abandoned at this stage and they find it tough to survive," Sherry said.

The turning point for Sherry's career was when he parted ways with Scottish golfing guru, Bob Torrance, father of Sam. Sherry's swing went, as he puts it, "completely Pete Tong".

And the 34-year-old says Scotand's golfing associations should be tapping into Torrance's vast experience.

MY SPORT: DEBATE What is your take on the state of Scottish golf?

Torrance once described golf as "the most difficult game that man ever invented."

In 45 years of coaching his celebrated methods have helped make it easier for a lucky few.

The septuagenarian golfing Yoda has guided emerging and established players, including reigning Open champion Padraig Harrington, to worldwide success, tweaking the multifarious technical aspects of their game and instilling an approach based on hard work and keeping it simple.

And the coach paints a brighter picture for Scotland, warning only that young players today are too eager to turn professional, perhaps before they're ready.

"The game has changed a lot. In my day, there weren't that many players even considering turning pro - now there are literally hundreds," Torrance told BBC Sport.

"But is it too early for them? I think it is for some and they get a shock.

"But there are plenty of talented Scottish golfers around and I don't think we underachieve.

"It just takes time, but Scottish golf is in fine health."

Crisis? What crisis?