Faldo, Lyle May Leave American Tour Over Quota

British stars Nick Faldo and Sandy Lyle, angered at the PGA’s refusal to ease the requirements for foreign golfers, are rumored to be considering resigning their American Tour membership, Commissioner Deane Beman said today.

Beman said Bernhard Langer of West Germany also was believed to be considering --”but not so strongly”-- quitting the American Tour.

“I want to emphasize that this is rumor and without confirmation,” Beman told the American Golf Sponsors at their annual draft of players for the 1990 Nabisco Team Charity competition.

Faldo, the Masters champion, said last week that the tour’s decision to retain a rule requiring foreign players to play at least 15 events a year to retain their tour membership likely will force top European stars to focus more on the European Tour and limit appearances in the United States.

He also said at the time that the American Tour’s decision not to reduce to 12 the number of required tournaments probably will force Lyle, Langer, Spain’s Severiano Ballesteros and himself to concentrate on European Tour events.

Faldo, Lyle and Langer were full members of the American Tour this season. Ballesteros and Ian Woosnam of Wales, Beman said, “have not joined the tour. They are not members and will not be members.”

Faldo, Lyle and Langer have until the end of the year to declare whether they will continue their membership.

As non-members, foreign players can compete in the Masters, U.S. Open, PGA, World Series of Golf if eligible, and five other events.