Mickelson calls rule 'ridiculous,' puts away Ping wedge for now
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- Phil Mickelson plied his trademark Callaway clubs with a potent mix of power and precision to win the last two Northern Trust Opens at Riviera Country Club.
On Wednesday, though, as he prepared to defend his title yet again, Mickelson made headlines for a club from a competing manufacturer that he decided to take out of his bag.
First, the background.
Mickelson had sparked a controversy of sorts during last week's Farmers Insurance Open when he used a pre-1990 Ping Eye2 wedge. Scott McCarron fueled the fire when he told a local newspaper that he felt it was cheating.
In reality, though, the club, which has square, or U-shaped grooves, is legal under the new rule mandating a return to V-grooves. It was grandfathered into the decision due to a 1990 settlement between Ping and the USGA and a similar 1993 agreement with the PGA TOUR.
Mickelson, though, has been vocal in his disapproval of the way the rule evolved, as well as what he called "its total lack of transparency" several times on Wednesday. He doesn't like the loophole that exists and played the club to bring attention to the situation.
"It's ridiculous," Mickelson said. "It hurts the game, and you cannot put the players in a position to interpret what the rule has meant. That's why we have a decisions book, to decide this stuff.
"This should have been decided well before this came out. It put me and it put all players in a bad spot, and it needs to be changed. This rule-making process needs to be changed."
Four other players have used the wedges since the season began, but the No. 2 player in the world was by far the highest profile to do so. Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington has been testing a Ping Eye2 wedge and said Tuesday that he might join them.
Mickelson now feels his point has been made, but he hopes others continue to play the wedge until the situation has been resolved. And he made it clear that if no progress is made, the wedge would find its way back into his bag.
"If these governing bodies cannot get together to fix this loophole, if players stop using this wedge, which would stop the pressing of the issue, then I will re-look at it and put the wedge back in play," he said, the conviction evident in his voice.
Mickelson said he was prepared for the controversy but he was surprised to be singled out and incorrectly accused of violating the rules. McCarron apologized to him on Tuesday afternoon during a players-only meeting, and Mickelson said that issue is in the past.
"I think that we all make mistakes and we all say things we wish we could take back. I've done it a bunch in my career," Mickelson said. "And the fact that it's also not easy to come up and face that person, look them in the eye and apologize, and he did that and was very sincere and I accepted the apology.
"I appreciate him being a big enough man to do that."
Conventional wisdom holds that the rule change will put the emphasis back on skill rather than spin rate. And Mickelson, who counts three majors among his 37 PGA TOUR titles, admittedly has one of the premier short games in the world.
Not to mention, Mickelson grew up playing V-grooves so he's comfortable with the new mandate. In addition, he said the clubs he played last year were conforming under the current rule so the change should be seamless.
Mickelson still doesn't like the rule or the implementation. But he has decided to jettison the wedge -- at least briefly -- in deference to his peers, who rallied behind him when his wife and mother were diagnosed with breast cancer.
"I like and respect these players," Mickelson said. "And last year when my wife and I were at one of our low points, these players came together and did one of the nicest things that could have ever been done to show support, and it meant tons for me.
"And out of respect for them, I do not want to have an advantage over anybody, whether it's perceived or actual."
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