Sydney  - Organizers of a golf tournament in Australia said Thursday that perennial bad-boy John Daly would not face disciplinary action after grabbing the camera of an over-zealous fan and smashing it against a tree.

They said the big-hitting American was within his rights because cameras and mobile phones were banned from the course at the Australian Open in Sydney.

Daly has a long history of alcohol abuse, with three recorded spells in the Betty Ford Clinic in the United States.

Daly released a statement via tournament organizers saying the fan got too close.

"The guy that had the camera had already taken a dozen shots at close range," he said.

It's Daly's first visit to Australia since 2002, when he earned a fine for throwing his putter and ball into a greenside pond and verbally abusing an official. (dpa)