Report: Mickelson might use controversial wedges at Torrey
So far the only thing resembling controversy in the new PGA Tour season has been John Daly and Dean Wilson playing with pre-1990 Ping Eye2 wedges, which for legal reasons don't need to comply with the Tour's new rule that softens the grooves on wedges. That issue will get a lot bigger if Phil Mickelson shows up at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego this week with some old Ping wedges. It could happen, according to Golf Digest's Tim Rosaforte:
After reading about John Daly and Dean
Wilson using ths same wedges at last week's Sony Open, Mickelson dug a few out
of his garage and brought them to Callaway, where they were bent from 60 to 64
degrees, and adjusted the soles. But the player is still evaluating player
sentiment about the Ping loophole, wondering whether it falls into the spirit
of the new groove rule.
Tour pro Bob Estes was critical of Wilson using the old wedges at the Sony Open, saying it was "maybe a little bit against the spirit of the game since they passed that rule." British Open champion Stewart Cink agreed. "I have a problem with it," Cink said. "I wouldn't go up to a player and say, 'You shouldn't be using them,' but I'm not alone in thinking they shouldn't be using them. The Tour can't really do anything. It has to be through peer pressure."
Mickelson played Ping clubs while
at Arizona State (1988-92), so if he does decide to use those old wedges, he
probably has a garage full of them.
