Tour committee summons Ballesteros over outburst

Seve Ballesteros has been asked to appear before the Tournament Committee of the European Tour at Wentworth next week following his disqualification from the Italian Open 11 days ago and the subsequent outburst against the Tour.

Seve Ballesteros has been asked to appear before the Tournament Committee of the European Tour at Wentworth next week following his disqualification from the Italian Open 11 days ago and the subsequent outburst against the Tour.

Ballesteros refused to accept a penalty shot for slow play, altering his card and so signing for a wrong score. In an emotional tirade he then described the Tour as a "mafia" which was victimising him.

The Tournament Committee met for three hours in Hamburg last night and though it was within their power to impose a fine on the former Open and Masters champion, they decided to give Ballesteros a chance to air his grievances.

Mark James, the chairman, said: "Under the code of conduct in the Tour regulations the committee have asked Seve to talk to them at Wentworth next week. We talked for a long time and decided it was a serious enough matter to want to talk to him. We want to see what he is thinking and where he is coming from. We want to find out his feelings towards the Tour and any conceived conspiracy against him."

Only the 15 players on the Tournament Committee will attend the meeting with Ballesteros, with no legal representation or any Tour staff. On Sunday, Ken Schofield, the executive director, said: "The idea that we would victimise any single player is unthinkable." Ballesteros has said he will pay a fine if it is imposed. He was to be informed by phone by Miguel Angel Jimenez, a member of the committee, with a letter to follow.