Mickelson Allegedly ‘cheating’, says McCarron

Sunday, January 31, 2010 -- Right on the heels of the Tiger Woods’ scandal, the United States’ PGA Tour dove into another mess when Scott McCarron accused Phil Mickelson of cheating in a match on Friday for supposedly using wedges that are not allowed under a certain legal technicality.

McCarron said, “It’s cheating, and I’m appalled Phil has put it in play.”

Mickelson is known to be one of around four players who were participating at the Farmers Insurance Open, and using the Ping-Eye 2 wedge. The wedge was made some 20 years ago, and is known to have square grooves. These grooves are officially banned from the tour because the U.S. Golf Association has stated that for this year, the irons must have grooves shaped in a V.

Technically, the square groove wedges made by Ping remain legal, because despite a lawsuit that Ping filed against the USGA – which was settled in 1990 – the fact that the Ping-Eye 2 was created before the 1st of April, 1990 is still approved because it takes precedence over any changes in the rules.

The comments that McCarron released were startling because the ‘cheating’ has been deemed as one of the dirtiest accusations that could be made in golf – where players pride themselves on honesty as well as calling the penalties on themselves whenever committed.

Mickelson, on the other hand, has refused to get into a debate with McCarron. He, however, has this to say, “It ‘s a terrible rule. To change something that has this kind of loophole is nuts… 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.”