Golf: Turmoil over `disappearance money'

AFTER ALL the rows over the years about appearance money - the payment of inducements to star players to play in an event without regard to their finishing position - the European Tour is now having a little local difficulty with "disappearance money".

Bernard Gallacher became the first casualty of the row when he resigned from the tour's board of directors. Gallacher, the three-times Ryder Cup captain, had served on the board since its inception in 1984.

Gallacher, currently making his debut in the British Seniors Open at Royal Portrush after turning 50 earlier in the year, sent a letter of resignation to Ken Schofield, the executive director of the European Tour, after hearing that his opinions at recent board meetings had been criticised by current players.

One of the issues under debate is the suggestion from the rank and file members for players to be paid for missing the 36-hole cut at tournaments. At present, only those who qualify for all four rounds earn prize-money. Gallacher is opposed to the idea. "Some of the players think I am hostile to their interests," he said.

Another recent area for discussion has been the introduction of the World Golf Championships. The three tournaments, for the elite players only, offer huge prize money, with $1m (pounds 635,000) to the winner of each, but are included on the European Order of Merit to the dismay of some of those unlikely to qualify for the bonanza.

"At the last board meeting I attended with the players' Tournament Committee, I was forthright in my opinions," Gallacher explained. "It was a robust meeting but that's what board meetings are meant to be. I was away for the next meeting, playing in America, but I heard that some of the players thought I was being hostile so I thought it might be time for me to resign."

It is by no means certain that Gallacher's resignation will be accepted. Although he is now concentrating on his rookie season on the Seniors tour, he has worked closely with the executive of the tour for many years. It was only after a personal plea that Gallacher was persuaded by Schofield, a fellow Scot, into captaining the Ryder side again after two defeats. Third time lucky, Gallacher's team produced a historic victory at Oak Hill four years ago.

"Bernard's resignation will be considered by a meeting of the senior directors and the executive of the tour," said a European Tour spokesman. "That has not happened yet, but when it does, there might well be a request to Bernard to reconsider."

Ironically, Gallacher's resignation became public just a few days after Paul Lawrie, previously considered one of the chorus line, moved into the spotlight to collect pounds 350,000 for winning the Open. To do so, he worked his way through 112 holes, including qualifying and the play-off. The Scot is now eligible for the remaining two of the World Championship events, plus a number of other lucrative tournaments.

Gallacher has a simple message for those who want to be paid for missing the cut. "They have to practice harder and play better," Gallacher said. "Golf is about winning and incentive. It always has been, even when I turned pro in 1967.

"There are 65 prizes every week and the rewards are there. But paying those who miss the cut is dead against the grain. Where is the money going to come from? You can't take it from the top guys to give it to those at the bottom when you have guys coming through from the Challenge Tour like John Bickerton and David Park, you can't help guys to stay on the main tour by giving them money every week.

"The tour has come a long way and has developed on the back of the efforts of the top players. We need to make sure the top players like Montgomerie and Westwood don't need to go to America full time. The World Tour events are important because the top players can play in the States without leaving Europe."

Last week at Carnoustie, those missing the cut received expenses ranging from pounds 1,100 to pounds 700, but the money is not considered official. "We would like a similar system for tour events," said Roger Chapman, a member of the tournament committee who has never won on the European Tour.

"We are the only sport where most of the players don't get paid for entertaining the public. We are not whinging and neither are we jealous about the big money being paid to, or won by, top stars. But there are a lot of players who do not have sponsors. It now costs pounds 1,000 per week to play on the tour and they merit something for their contribution to the week's entertainment."

Practically, the idea is unlikely to be implemented because either every sponsor has to come up with the extra cash, or the top prizes have to be reduced by around 10 per cent.

"The idea has been discussed by the tournament committee," confirmed the committee chairman and present Ryder Cup captain, Mark James. "But a lot of things get discussed and don't get through. It is not a cure- all that some people think it might be."