European Tour bosses are set for a showdown with US chiefs.

Ernie Els revealed recently that US Tour bosses had written asking him to play more in the US and less in Europe.

O'Grady and present European Tour chief Ken Schofield plan to meet US Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem to discuss the matter at next month's World Cup.

"We have seen it coming, and we are not happy," O'Grady said.

Schofield will hand over the reins after 30 years in charge on 31 December but will continue as a two-days-a-week consultant on the European Tour.

"The worry is if they are going to lean on Ernie, we know they have already done so with Retief, what about Adam Scott, Trevor Immelman and the other generation of young guys?

It seems like quite an extraordinary pressure to put on a player of his level George O'Grady

"They normally come from the southern hemisphere and very often make their start with the European Tour."

Els currently plays around 18 tournaments in the US each year, above the stipulated 15, but US chiefs have asked him to not play abroad and play over 20 there.

"It seems like quite an extraordinary pressure to put on a player of his level," O'Grady observed.

Meanwhile, on the row between Seve Ballesteros and European Tour referee Jose Maria Zamora, O'Grady said: "At this stage we are not prepared to say what may or may not happen."

Ballesteros in new row

Ballesteros could face a ban after an alleged assault at a recent amateur event in Spain.

"We are very disappointed. Seve is arguably our greatest champion, our most charismatic champion and it would be our hope it's handled very sympathetically," O'Grady said.