Tuesday 14 May 2019 21:46, UK
Tiger Woods appeared to mock the decision to allow John Daly to use a golf cart for this week's PGA Championship, but tournament organisers have stood by the ruling.
Daly applied for use of the cart to help him negotiate the long and undulating Bethpage Black layout, claiming that he struggled to walk for more than six holes due to chronic arthritis in his knee.
The PGA of America granted permission in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), while the decision was also backed by a team of medical experts, although Woods hinted that he disagreed and made reference to his US Open win in 2008 which he achieved despite a stress fracture in his left shin.
"This is a big golf course," said Woods at his pre-tournament press conference. "There's a lot of property and there's definitely going to be a component to stamina as the week goes on. Four days over a tough championship that is mentally and physically taxing takes its toll.
"But as for JD (Daly) taking a cart? Well, I walked with a broken leg, so..."
But leading officials for the PGA of America insisted Daly had a valid case due to ADA concerns, although his use of the cart throughout the week will be closely monitored.
Chief championship officer, Kerry Haigh, said: "On all of our entry information for all of our championships, we have a clause for ADA purposes in that any player who has an ADA concern or issue is allowed to apply and give the reasons for the exemption that he or she may want to apply for.
"In this case, John went through the process, sent in the information that we request of any and all players that this applies to. We have a committee that meet, which includes a medical expert, and they review the information, and it was agreed that it justified the use of a golf cart for the championship.
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"Where the player goes all depends on the golf course and the conditions, and obviously with the rain, we will meet with John and just talk through where he can go and can't go. Obviously, there's some places on this golf course where you can't get a golf cart to.
"We try and use common sense, what's reasonable, what's fair for the protection both of the player and those issues as well as the playing of a major championship. We supply the golf cart for him along with a number of rules of what they can and can't do with that golf cart."
PGA of America CEO, Seth Waugh, added: "I've never been in a cart here, but I think it's one of those places where a cart is actually less convenient than walking. I'm sort of all about walking, I much prefer it. Obviously, I'm not trying to make a statement about John. And so where the carts go will be interesting, right, because it's not set up that way.
"But I can understand why he'd be daunted by trying to walk this. This is a proper golf course and every hole essentially has elevation change. You might go from an elevated tee down to a fairway, back up to a green.
"There's parts of it in the middle that are fairly flat, but almost every green has significant elevation change. So it is a long walk and a beautiful walk."
