Ballesteros and Harrington call for change in European tour rule

SEVE BALLESTEROS and Pádraig Harrington have both called for a change in the European tour rule which could this weekend see Sandy Lyle lose his exempt status after 25 years.

Lyle needs at least a top nine finish in the Telefonica Madrid Open starting today to have any chance of keeping his place as one of the circuit's top 40 career money-winners.

But both Ballesteros and Harrington are on the side of those who believe it is wrong that someone who lifted the Open and US Masters, topped the Order of Merit three times and won 25 tournaments between 1979 and 1992 should find themselves in the position Lyle does.