EUROPEAN TOUR: Severiano Ballesteros is to be investigated by the European Tour following an alleged assault on one of the tour's tournament directors at his home course Pedrena.

Ballesteros is believed to have assaulted fellow Spaniard Jose Maria Zamora last month during the Spanish Amateur Championship, the tour said yesterday at Valderrama.

Zamora, an accomplished player who could have turned professional had he not decided to join the tour's administrative staff, won the over-35s event at Pedrena where the alleged incident was reported by the Spanish Federation.

The European Tour said it is carrying out an investigation, although director of communications Gordon Simpson said: "Obviously, at this stage, the tour can say nothing."

Zamora, who is working at this week's Volvo Masters, was not available for comment.

Ballesteros has been a vociferous critic of the European Tour management in recent years. In March last year, he and tournament director Zamora were pictured arguing during the Madeira Island Open after the Spanish player was given a warning for slow play.

At the Italian Open two months later, Ballesteros accused tour director Ken Schofield of acting like a dictator, adding that chief referee John Paramor had deliberately targeted him for a slow play penalty that he refused to accept.

The Spaniard was later disqualified for failing to take the penalty into account on his scorecard before being fined and reprimanded by the European Tour.

EISENHOWER TROPHY: Ireland were in buoyant mood last night on the eve of the start of the World Amateur Team Championships for the Eisenhower Trophy at the Westin Rio Mar Country Club in Puerto Rico.

"The team are confident they will do well, but we all accept the competition is fierce. All the preparations are complete and now it's down to performing on the day," said GUI president Albert Lee.

Until 2002 the four Home Countries had played under the Britain and Ireland umbrella, but now there are separate entities.

"We started to push the idea of four countries back in 1997, although we did not want to break up a happy marriage. But when the others were happy it was great," said Lee. "It has worked out well in that 12 players get to play at the highest level of the amateur game and that's important. This is, after all, the Olympics of golf."

Reigning Irish champion Brian McElhinney is leading the team into action today, joined by Seán McTernan and Darren Crowe.

McElhinney, from the North West Club, won both the North of Ireland and European Individual Championship in 2003 and topped this year's Order of Merit table.

The Ireland team recently attended a week-long training camp with Irish skipper Mark Gannon and coach Howard Bennett.

Two years ago in Kuala Lumpur Ireland finished in a tie for 28th position - but they are expected to do much better this time.

Competitors play one round each day for the next four days with two of the team's three scores counting each day.