Campell slams US tour 'stranglehold'

New Zealander Michael Campbell has spoken out about the restrictions the US Tour continue to place on him even though he is now US Open champion.

Campbell has been limited to a mere 10 events a season on the American circuit since he quit in mid-season two years ago after missing nine halfway cuts out of nine.

He earned a five-year exemption with his victory at Pinehurst in June, but because he remains based in Brighton and a member of the European tour he decided not to take up membership in the States.

“If I joined it would be a different story, but I’ve been told that next year I can’t play more than 10 again,” he said today in Shanghai, where he is joint fifth with a round to play in the HSBC Champions tournament.

“It’s disappointing that I can’t control my own schedule. I am a global player and it’s like my hands are being tied.

“They set their rules for some reason, but I think that sometimes the PGA Tour have a stranglehold on the world. I am a free bird and sometimes they hold me back.

“I am sure there are sponsors in the United States who want the US Open champion in their field, but the rules are preventing me playing two or three I might like to.

“What if Jack Nicklaus came to me and asked me to play the Memorial tournament and I can’t because I’ve already committed to 10 others.”

Last year Ernie Els had angry words to say on the same subject before talks with commissioner Tim Finchem smoothed things over.

After a letter arrived from the US Tour asking Els to make a greater commitment to them he said: “I think they need to understand that I think the golfing world has changed through the years. There’s a world outside America and I’m part of it.

“They can’t restrict me from playing where I want to play. They want over 20 and nothing abroad. It means if you want to go play in Dubai I’ve got to ask them for a release. And for that release I need to give them one extra tournament.

“Well, I don’t want to go that far. I am not hurting their tour at all with my schedule. I’m not hurting other players on their tour because none of them will do what I’m doing. So I’m not hurting anybody.

“Why should I change? I’ve been doing this all my life. You can’t start telling me ‘Hey, come over here and leave the rest of the world.’ It’s not going to happen that way. Don’t put a padlock around me because that’s not going to work.”