The US PGA Tour was embroiled in controversy on Friday as Scott McCarron accused world No. 2 Phil Mickelson of “cheating” for making use of a loophole in new rules governing grooves in clubs.
Mickelson is one of several players at this week’s tournament at Torrey Pines using a Ping-Eye 2 wedge, manufactured two decades ago with square grooves.
The square grooves are now banned on the PGA Tour because of a new US Golf Association regulation that club faces have V-shaped grooves.
PHOTO: AP
However, the square-groove Ping wedges remain legal because of a lawsuit that Ping filed against the USGA that was settled in 1990. The outcome of that action was that any Ping-Eye 2 manufactured before April 1, 1990, is approved for play.
“It’s cheating, and I’m appalled Phil has put it in play,” McCarron told the San Francisco Chronicle in a story published on Friday.
McCarron said Mickelson’s use of the wedges was against the spirit of the new rules.
While a “cheat” label is abhorrent in golf, a game that prides itself on honesty and self-policing, Mickelson refused enter a debate with McCarron. Instead, Mickelson criticized the rule itself.
“It’s a terrible rule. To change something that has this kind of loophole is nuts,” Mickelson said. “But it’s not up to me or any other player to interpret what the rule is or the spirit of the rule. I understand black and white. And I think that myself or any other player is allowed to play those clubs because they’re approved — end of story.”
Square grooves can provide more spin to the ball than V-shaped grooves. The ban is meant to put a greater premium on accuracy off the tee.
Although it isn’t clear whether clubs manufactured 20 years ago even produce the same spin as current clubs with V-grooves, Australian Robert Allenby said using old clubs was unfair if only because not all players have access to them.
“I think ‘cheating’ is not the right word,” Allenby said. “But it’s definitely an advantage. There’s only a certain amount of people that can find them, and I just think it’s not right if you’re using them.”
Japan’s Ryuji Imada said using the Ping wedge couldn’t be called cheating, but he thought the loophole in the rule was unfair.
“The rules are the rules, and if it’s allowed by the rules of golf, sure, you can use it,” Imada said. “But I don’t agree with it.”
■DALY QUITS, AGAIN
AFP, LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA
Two-time major winner John Daly, emotional in the wake of missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open, told a TV channel on Friday he was “done” with golf.
“I’m done,” Daly told the Golf Channel after rounds of 79-71.
“I can’t compete. I can’t play like I use too. I can’t keep taking spots from guys out here playing this bad,” added Daly, who has played on sponsors’ exemptions since losing his past champion exemption after the 2007 season.
“It’s not worth it,” Daly said. “I’m tired of embarassing myself in front of [my fans]. I can’t do it anymore.”
It was Daly’s second missed cut of the season, after he failed to advance at the Sony Open.
It’s not the first time Daly has said he was walking away from the game. He said the same after firing an 88 at the Buick Open last year. He was scheduled to play at Pebble Beach next month and is also scheduled to play the Transitions Championship near Tampa, Florida, in March. That’s the same month that a reality television show featuring Daly is scheduled to debut on the Golf Channel.
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