PGA Tour's McCarron not backing down from Phil Mickelson

McCarron will 'not be silenced' on groove issue

Feb. 1, 2010
By staff and wire reports

SAN DIEGO -- Scott McCarron is not backing away from his opinion that Phil Mickelson or anyone else on the PGA TOUR should not be using the Ping-Eye 2 wedges with square grooves.

McCarron says he will "not be silenced" as he works to get the grooves issues resolved.

He caused a flap last week at Torrey Pines when he said Mickelson was "cheating" by using the Ping wedge. Mickelson replied a day later that he had been "publicly slandered" and he would let others handle it. He stopped short of threatening a lawsuit.

Square grooves no longer conform to the Rules of Golf. However, the Ping wedges, if made before April 1, 1990, are approved for play under terms of a lawsuit Ping settled with the USGA and the PGA TOUR about 20 years ago.

The TOUR issued a statement last week during the Farmers Insurance Open that read:

In light of the public comments that have been made regarding the use of pre-1990 Ping Eye 2 irons in competitions sanctioned by the PGA TOUR, it is important for our players, fans and the media to understand the following:

• Under the Rules of Golf and the 2010 Condition of Competition for Groove Specifications promulgated by the USGA, pre-1990 Ping Eye 2 irons are permitted for play and any player who uses them in PGA TOUR sanctioned events taking place in jurisdictions of the USGA is not in violation of the Rules of Golf; and

• Because the use of pre-1990 Ping Eye 2 irons is permitted for play, public comments or criticisms characterizing their use as a violation of the Rules of Golf as promulgated by the USGA are inappropriate at best.

TOUR commissioner Tim Finchem will address this issue in greater detail on Tuesday during a regularly scheduled player meeting and with the media during the 2010 Northern Trust Open.