Dane ready to resign as players committee chairman
Thomas Bjorn has revealed he is poised to resign his position as chairman of the European Tour's players committee.
The news emerged on the day before the committee are scheduled to meet to discuss the possibility of tightening European Tour membership rules.
Bjorn recently launched a withering attack on Padraig Harrington after the three-time major winner's assertion that he would be against such a move.
However, the Dame insists that dispute was not a factor his seemingly-imminent decision to step down.
"I've been thinking about this for a while," said Bjorn on the eve of the Portugal Masters where both he and Harrington will compete.
"I've not officially resigned yet, but I am 90% there and it will take some convincing for me to continue.
"It's absolutely not to do with Padraig. To be fair to myself and my golf I have too much to deal with.
"It took its toll on Mark James, it certainly did on Jamie Spence and it's taking a toll on me."
Bjorn went on to acknowledge that he is unlikely to stay on the committee unless a new structure is put in place whereby it is not an active player who acts as chairman.
Harrington, not on the committee, is amongst those to have been invited to Thursday's meeting to offer his views on how the European Tour should proceed in the current difficult economic climate.
Forthright
The Dubliner was forthright in his belief that players should not be expected to make an increased commitment on the number of European Tour events they play next season and when asked about the suggestion, stated: "I don't believe in protectionism - I wonder if there may be a case for the European Union."
That prompted a fierce rebuke from Bjorn, who responded: "I don't know where Padraig is coming from and he always uses the press.
"He would need to play only one more event here if this proposal goes through. That's not asking a lot and for him to threaten going to the European Union is out of order.
"It's his committee - he does not seem to understand that. He seems to think that he is above it.
"I don't want to have a war of words with him, but we are a committee of 15 and that includes people like Monty, (Darren) Clarke, (Henrik) Stenson, (Robert) Karlsson, (Miguel Angel) Jimenez and (Paul) McGinley.
"They have all been out here a long time, so whose opinion are we going to give more weight to? He may have won three majors, but Monty has won eight Order of Merits and knows all there is to know about the Tour."
However, Bjorn and Harrington met on Tuesday ahead of the Portual Masters at Vilamoura and insisted their long-time friendship would not be jeopardised by the issue.
Good decisions
Harrington said of Thursday's meeting: "I'm happy to throw my tuppence into any argument. Life would be no fun if we didn't have dissension. That's how good decisions get made."
However, he was categorical when asked whether he might consider serving on the committee, declaring: "I'm playing golf - I don't have time to be on a committee."
He also insisted the European Tour had to look to expand if they were prosper and challenge America's PGA Tour.
"We've got to embrace the world - in my eyes we have to go global," he added. "The US tour is number one, Europe is number two and the only way a number two can compete with a number one is to merge with three, four and five - Asia, South Africa and Japan.
"Where is our greatest growth area going forward? It's got to be Asia."
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