Named and shamed

Dawson says more open policy would discourage poor behaviour

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R&A chief executive Peter Dawson says badly behaved golfers should have their punishments made public. Dawson believes players should be named and shamed rather than given privacy by their particular tours and says more openness in the disciplinary process would discourage poor behaviour.

"The European Tour have published once or twice. Both tours know our view on that but it is a matter for them," he said.

"I have gone on record as saying more public sanctioning would not be a bad thing.

"That would not be the Tour policy certainly in the United States and they have reasons for that.

"One would have thought public sanctions would be more likely to lead to a correction of behaviour rather than private sanctions.

"We have always relied on the tours to put players through their disciplinary procedures or tour members if there is some kind of misbehaviour.