Ballesteros claims ref ‘persecution’

SEVE BALLESTEROS has inflamed the row with the PGA European Tour by saying his disqualification from the Italian Open was persecution.

The five-times Major winner faces a disciplinary hearing before next week’s Volvo PGA championship when he will be asked to explain his behaviour at Gardagolf where he refused to accept a slow-play penalty.

After changing his scorecard and being disqualified he then launched into a tirade, accusing the tour of victimising him and three other players because they had asked for an independent audit of the organisation’s accounts 18 months ago.