May 15, 2011; Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, USA; PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem on the tee of the 17th hole during the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports
PGA Tour Commissioner, Tim Finchem has announced that the PGA Tour will not support the anchored putter ban after the USGA and the R&A announced their proposal to change the rule several months ago.
“Essentially where the PGA Tour came down was that they did not think that banning anchoring was in the best interest of golf or the PGA Tour,” Finchem said. ” I would note that the PGA of America came to the same conclusion after consultation with their membership. Golf Course Owners Association came to the same conclusion, as well.”
“The essential thread that went through the thinking of the players and our board of directors and others that looked at this was that in the absence of data or any basis to conclude that there is a competitive advantage to be gained by using anchoring, and given the amount of time that anchoring has been in the game, that there was no overriding reason to go down that road.”
Currently Finchem hasn’t made up his mind what will happen if the ban is instituted, but says they have always followed the rules set by the USGA but have had the right not to. He is hopeful they will take the PGA Tour’s stance on the issue and everyone can go down the same road.
Personally I support the ban of the anchored putters, but if the PGA Tour want to take a different stance to the R&A and the USGA then that’s up to them, but they’re not there for the whole of the game.
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Staff writer for Pro Golf Now.
Steve Engbloom
Pro Golf Now
