Under Fire: The 2010 Groove Rule

Uh-oh. Just what the PGA Tour needs, more controversy.

In the wake of the Tiger scandal, numerous players have been using non-conforming Ping Eye 2 wedges that have been allowed because of a legal loop-hole, most notably Phil Mickelson. Of course, many of the other tour players have not been happy. Scott McCarron goes as far as accusing the players of cheating. And with Mickelson being more than miffed by the attack, the PGA Tour has yet another mess on their hands regarding these new wedge rules.

For those who aren't aware of the complete situation, the PGA Tour had decided to roll back the wedge groove technology for the 2010 season from U-grooves to V-grooves, with the new grooves producing less spin than the older ones. This will cause a number of things: an increased premium on accuracy of tee shots, and the more widespread use of even softer balls. The use of softer balls is an important factor in this change, as softer balls don't go as far, reducing the need for clubs to alter and extend the length of the courses.

This change, I believe, makes a lot of sense for the tour because of the reasons mentioned above. However, the new rule has hit an unexpected snag with the Ping Eye 2 Wedges (equipped with U-grooves) being legal because of a lawsuit Ping filed against the USGA. John Daly, Hunter Mahan, and Phil Mickelson all have now put these new wedges into their bag, causing much debate.

Personally? I don't think using those old wedges would give any significant advantage over the modern, V-groove wedges (The Eye 2's are 20 years old, after all). And I don't think implementing them would be by any definition "cheating". The clubs are legal under USGA rules, so they can be played by anyone. What I do think is that this situation is hurting the PGA Tour. You have tour players openly attacking other players in front of the media, stirring the pot that is already churning because of Tiger. The PGA Tour needs to provide a definitive verdict on the whole situation (They did issue a statement today, but it does not give a clear solution to the problem). With commissioner Tim Finchem addressing the problem in detail at a meeting scheduled next week, hopefully all the debate and grumblings will die down.

Because heaven knows, the tour already has enough of that going on already.

Friday Notes: Farmers Insurance Open

A few notes from the Farmers Insurance Open at the halfway point:

Star Watch

- Phil Mickelson moved into the top ten with a 2nd round 65 on the easier north course. Along with him at -7 is the much-publicized rookie Ricky Fowler. Watch for both of them to make a move on the weekend.

- The Big Easy finds himself at -5 after two days with a 2nd round 69. Els drove the ball wildly today with a 29% driving accuracy, but made up for it by being deadly on approach shots (94% GIR). He needs to putt better if he wants a chance on the weekend, as he had 33 putts today.

Notables

- Biggest surprise on the leaderboard is Matt Every, who is in a tie for third at -9. He is probably most well known for competing on Big Break: Mesquite, which seems to have been by far the best Big Break in terms of success of the competitors on professional tours. Another notable contestant from the show is James Nitties, who made nearly $1 million on the PGA Tour last year as a rookie (although he missed the cut this week).

Trunk Slammin'

- Bubba Watson never got it going, shooting 70 and 74 to miss the cut after a promising 2nd place finish last week at the Bob Hope Classic. Watson is well known for his gargantuan drives and imaginative play, but he has failed to produce wins even with all his talent. The 2nd place finish last week was encouraging, so we'll see how he does throughout the course of the year.

- John Daly has missed yet another cut, with a 1st round 79 doing him in. I really hope he can get his life (and game) back on track; the tour needs his unique personality and exceptional talent. The past years have been hard on him but he has begun to turn it around since last year. I'll be rooting for his comeback.

The Year of the Mickelson

On the eve of Phil Mickelson's 2010 debut on the PGA Tour at the Farmers Insurance Open, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about the aspirations Phil Mickelson almost assuredly has for this year. With the shocking saga of Tiger Woods unfolding in these past few months, the golfing world has been abuzz. Everyone is speculating when -or even if- Tiger will be back playing golf and how the PGA Tour will manage to fill the gargantuan hole Tiger has left. But I think Phil Mickelson wouldn't be bothered by these turn of events at all; in fact, he might be quite pleased.

Now I'm not suggesting that Phil is happy about the fall from grace Tiger has endured. Rather, I think Phil would be excited at this opportunity to go and seize control as the top dog in golf with everything from the 4 majors to the #1 ranking in the world up for grabs...this is his chance to be The Man.

But why Mickelson? Because Mickelson's skill compares to almost no one else on tour sans Tiger. He bombs the ball, has arguably the best short game, and is clutch. The '06 U.S. Open was an anomaly, and Phil has proven before and after that event that he's still one of the best in the world while operating under pressure. And with the additional work Phil has put into his putting with David Stockton, his game doesn't have any holes.

We have already witnessed what Phil can do with his improved putting, shown by his win at the 2009 HSBC Champions over a killer field as well as a resounding three-stroke victory at last year's Tour Championship over -who else?- Tiger Woods. Yet another disappointment we can draw from Tiger's saga is that we, as fans, may have been robbed of what could have been one of the most exciting seasons ever with the clash between Tiger and a now-surging Phil Mickelson. That would have been a sight to see. Nevertheless, this is the time for Phil Mickelson to fully establish himself as the top golfer on the PGA Tour.

2010 will be the year of Phil Mickelson, and it's all his for the taking.
(At least until Tiger comes back.)