Phil a Cheater?

Is it a 'Tempest in a Tea Pot'? Did Scott McCarron call Phil Mickelson a 'CHEATER'?

Well, let's see. McCarron was quoted in the The San Francisco Chronicle last Friday referring to Mickelson use of the Ping-Eye2 wedges with square grooves, "It's cheating and I'm appalled Phil has put it in play".

It seems to me that McCarron called Phil a cheater for the use of the Ping-Eye2 wedges that were made before April 1, 1990. What is interesting is that 20 years ago Ping won a lawsuit that settled the matter and those square grooved wedges remain approved and take precedence over the new USGA rule this year that irons have V-shaped grooves.

So why did Phil use the square grooved wedges? Mickelson said he read about John Daly and Dean Wilson using those square grooved wedges in Hawaii.

Was Phil angered by McCarron comments? He felt that he was 'publicly slandered' and that he wanted the PGA Tour to do something about it.

Well, the PGA Tour headquarters heard about the 'Tempest', and they released a statement explaining why the Ping-Eye2 wedges with square grooves were approved for play.

"Public comments or criticisms characterizing their use as a violation…are inappropriate at best."

So it would seem that Mickelson was vindicated, and he thought so by saying "cool if they put that there". Further he commented "again, everybody has their opinions and so forth, and it it's healthy to talk about it. But when you cross that line and slander someone publicly, that's when the tour needs to step in – or someone else".

Phil's final comment was "I understand black and white, and I think that myself and any other player is allowed to play those clubs because they are approved – end of story".

Does this statement by the USGA settle the matter? I do not know, as McCarron wants to discuss the wedge matter further at the meeting of the Players Advisory Council of which he is a member.

February 5, 2010