John Daly was in trouble again today after the controversial American golfer grabbed a spectator's camera and smashed it into a tree during the opening round of the Australian Open.

Daly went into a rage as the fan tried to take his photograph after he had pushed a tee shot into the rough. He then told the spectator: "You want it back, I'll buy you a new one".

Tournament organisers later said the spectator had breached the conditions of entry by bringing the camera on to the course and Daly would not be punished.

Daly, who was in danger of missing the cut after shooting a six-over-par 78 at Royal Sydney, later released a statement that said: "I was looking to take a drop and the camera was six inches away from my face.

"If I was 10-under par I would have felt the same. My eyes are still burning from the flash of the camera.

"I feel it was very rude to put a camera that close to anybody's face in any situation. The guy that had the camera had already taken a dozen shots at close range."

Daly, 42, twice a major winner, has been in Australia for the past month trying to rebuild his career but has struggled missing the cut at the Australian Masters and Australia PGA.