Ballesteros family hits out

The family of Seve Ballesteros has accused the European Tour of showing 'disrespect' to the deceased major winner amid an intensifying row about a duplicate matchplay event against Asia.

The European Tour will host the inaugural EurAsia Cup in Malaysia in March, a team matchplay event between Asia and Europe, having opted against returning to sanction the Royal Trophy, an eight-year-old tournament also played between the two continents.

The Royal Trophy, launched by Ballesteros along with the Japan and China Tours and first played in 2006, was sanctioned by the European Tour for two years before they dumped it and announced the new tournament with the Asian Tour last year.

"I am certain that Seve would have found this new proposal to be in very bad taste and very disrespectful," Vicente Ballesteros, brother and one-time caddie of the five-time major winner, said in a statement sent by the Royal Trophy on Friday. "Mr O'Grady has also said that this new proposed event is supported by the Ballesteros family. Whenever anyone talks in public about any family, that person must be very careful.

"I wonder what he means. My brother Baldomero and I do not support this new proposed event at all. In fact we find this attempt disrespectful.”