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01-29-2010, 10:35 PM
[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=4870852"]Scott McCarron accuses Phil Mickelson of 'cheating' by using Ping wedges - ESPN@@AMEPARAM@@http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4854863@@AMEPARAM@@4854863[/ame]
SAN DIEGO -- Already missing Tiger Woods because of a sex scandal, the PGA Tour headed into another mess Friday when a player accused Phil Mickelson of "cheating" for using wedges that are allowed under a legal technicality.
"It's cheating, and I'm appalled Phil has put it in play," Scott McCarron said in Friday's edition of The San Francisco Chronicle.
Mickelson is among at least four players at Torrey Pines using a Ping-Eye 2 wedge that was made 20 years ago and has square grooves. Such grooves now are banned on the PGA Tour because of a new USGA regulation this year that irons have V-shaped grooves.
The square-groove Ping wedges remain legal, however, because of a lawsuit that Ping filed against the USGA that was settled in 1990. Under the settlement, any Ping-Eye 2 made before April 1, 1990, remains approved because it takes precedence over any rule change.
McCarron's comments resonated across Torrey Pines because "cheating" is considered one of the dirtiest accusations in a sport that prides itself on honesty and players calling penalties on themselves.
Mickelson refused to be drawn into a debate with McCarron over his choice of word, but rather criticized the USGA for adopting such a rule change in the first place, especially knowing that this loophole might cause problems.
"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."
The dispute comes at a time when the PGA Tour is trying to return its focus to golf after a troublesome two months involving Woods, its biggest star who is taking an indefinite break while dealing with the fallout from his extramarital affairs. The Farmers Insurance Open, the 2010 debut for Mickelson, is the first tournament on network television.
SAN DIEGO -- Already missing Tiger Woods because of a sex scandal, the PGA Tour headed into another mess Friday when a player accused Phil Mickelson of "cheating" for using wedges that are allowed under a legal technicality.
"It's cheating, and I'm appalled Phil has put it in play," Scott McCarron said in Friday's edition of The San Francisco Chronicle.
Mickelson is among at least four players at Torrey Pines using a Ping-Eye 2 wedge that was made 20 years ago and has square grooves. Such grooves now are banned on the PGA Tour because of a new USGA regulation this year that irons have V-shaped grooves.
The square-groove Ping wedges remain legal, however, because of a lawsuit that Ping filed against the USGA that was settled in 1990. Under the settlement, any Ping-Eye 2 made before April 1, 1990, remains approved because it takes precedence over any rule change.
McCarron's comments resonated across Torrey Pines because "cheating" is considered one of the dirtiest accusations in a sport that prides itself on honesty and players calling penalties on themselves.
Mickelson refused to be drawn into a debate with McCarron over his choice of word, but rather criticized the USGA for adopting such a rule change in the first place, especially knowing that this loophole might cause problems.
"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."
The dispute comes at a time when the PGA Tour is trying to return its focus to golf after a troublesome two months involving Woods, its biggest star who is taking an indefinite break while dealing with the fallout from his extramarital affairs. The Farmers Insurance Open, the 2010 debut for Mickelson, is the first tournament on network television.
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