SAN DIEGO — Already missing Tiger Woods because of a sex scandal, the PGA Tour headed into another mess Friday when a player accused Phil Mickelson of "cheating" for using wedges that are allowed under a legal technicality.
"It's cheating, and I'm appalled Phil has put it in play," Scott McCarron said in Friday's San Francisco Chronicle.
Mickelson is among at least four players at Torrey Pines using a Ping-Eye 2 wedge that was made 20 years ago and has square grooves. Such grooves now are banned on the PGA Tour because of a new USGA regulation this year that irons have V-shaped grooves.
The square-groove Ping wedges remain legal, however, because of Ping's lawsuit against the USGA that was settled in 1990. Any Ping-Eye 2 made before April 1, 1990, remains approved because it takes precedence over any rule change.
Mickelson, nicknamed "Lefty," refused to be drawn into a debate with McCarron over his choice of words. But he did criticize the USGA for adopting such a change in the first place.
"It's a terrible rule. To change something that has this kind of loophole is nuts," Mickelson said. "But it's not up to me or any other player to interpret what the rule is or the spirit of the rule. I understand black and white. And I think that myself or any other player is allowed to play those clubs because they're approved — end of story."
After two rounds in the Farmers Insurance Open, Mickelson was four shots out of the lead on his hometown course. Tampa's Ryuji Imada and D.A. Points shared the lead through two rounds, in which each golfer has one round each on the South Course — site of the 2008 U.S. Open — and far easier North Course.
Imada shot 68 on the South and was at 11-under 133 along with Points, two strokes ahead of Matt Every and Michael Sim.
DALY QUITTING?: John Daly missed another cut and said he was done. Daly told the Golf Channel, which is filming his reality show: "I'm done. … I can't compete."
It was the second time in six months Daly has said he was retiring. He has a sponsor's exemption to the Transitions Championship at Innisbrook in March.
"We haven't heard from him," Transitions tournament director Gerald Goodman said.
EUROPEAN TOUR: Brett Rumford of Australia shot 6-under 66 for a one-shot lead at 135 after the second round of the Qatar Masters in Doha.
Results
Farmers Insurance Open
at San Diego
Second round
D.A. Points 68-65— 133 -11
Ryuji Imada 65-68— 133 -11
Matt Every 65-70— 135 -9
Michael Sim 73-62— 135 -9
George McNeill 69-67— 136 -8
John Rollins 70-66— 136 -8
Ben Crane 65-71— 136 -8
Robert Allenby 67-69— 136 -8
Chris Tidland 65-71— 136 -8
137 — Charlie Wi, 71-66, Rickie Fowler, 67-70, Marc Leishman, 68-69, Tom Pernice, Jr.;66-71, Phil Mickelson, 70-67
138 — Lucas Glover, 71-67, Tom Gillis, 67-71, Alex Prugh, 67-71, K.J. Choi, 72-66, Vance Veazey, 67-71, Michael Allen, 72-66
139 — Ernie Els, 70-69, Scott Piercy, 64-75, Hunter Mahan, 72-67, Spencer Levin, 69-70, Brandt Snedeker, 71-68, David Lutterus, 69-70, Michael Putnam, 71-68, Derek Lamely, 70-69
140 — Jason Dufner, 69-71, Bill Lunde, 72-68, Andres Romero, 69-71, Brendon de Jonge, 70-70, Rocco Mediate, 69-71, Fredrik Jacobson, 71-69, Charles Howell III;71-69, Jeff Klauk, 70-70, Michael Bradley, 71-69, Boo Weekley, 67-73, Ted Purdy, 69-71, Justin Rose, 71-69, Michael Connell, 69-71
141 — Kevin Sutherland, 74-67, Lee Janzen, 74-67, Brett Quigley, 73-68, Bill Haas, 70-71, Nick Watney, 71-70, Martin Laird, 71-70, Johnson Wagner, 72-69, Tim Herron, 71-70, Blake Adams, 69-72, Nicholas Thompson, 68-73, Chris Couch, 68-73, Richard S. Johnson, 71-70, Shane Bertsch, 69-72, J.B. Holmes, 72-69, Troy Merritt, 69-72, Rich Barcelo, 72-69, Matt Jones, 70-71, Josh Teater, 67-74, Andrew McLardy, 71-70
142 — Rich Beem, 68-74, Jonathan Byrd, 73-69, Mathew Goggin, 72-70, James Driscoll, 71-71, Harrison Frazar, 70-72, Ricky Barnes, 67-75, Stephen Ames, 74-68, Blake Trimble, 68-74, Craig Bowden, 72-70, Michael Letzig, 71-71, Steve Marino, 72-70, Steve Lowery, 67-75, Ben Curtis, 73-69, Chez Reavie, 72-70, Luke Donald, 70-72, Tommy Armour III;74-68, Martin Flores, 74-68, Chad Collins, 72-70
Failed to qualify
143 — Chris Riley, 70-73, Greg Owen, 71-72, Kevin Streelman, 75-68, Kevin Stadler, 77-66, Arjun Atwal, 73-70, Jay Williamson, 72-71, John Merrick, 71-72, Paul Goydos, 71-72, Joe Ogilvie, 71-72, Jason Day, 72-71, Chad Campbell, 71-72, Dustin Johnson, 72-71, Nathan Green, 72-71, Garth Mulroy, 70-73, Jesper Parnevik, 73-70, Billy Horschel, 72-71
144 — John Mallinger, 71-73, John Huston, 74-70, J.J. Henry, 70-74, Scott McCarron, 71-73, Bubba Watson, 70-74, Alex Cejka, 72-72, Ryan Moore, 70-74, Mark Calcavecchia, 74-70, Tim Petrovic, 76-68, Bryce Molder, 71-73, Charley Hoffman, 74-70, J.P. Hayes, 69-75, Omar Uresti, 74-70, Greg Chalmers, 72-72, Stuart Appleby, 75-69, Matt Bettencourt, 69-75, Aaron Baddeley, 75-69, Cameron Percy, 69-75, Graham DeLaet, 70-74
145 — Jimmy Walker, 75-70, Mark Wilson, 73-72, Garrett Willis, 72-73, Henrik Bjornstad, 74-71, Rod Pampling, 72-73, Pat Perez, 69-76, Daniel Chopra, 69-76, Will MacKenzie, 72-73, Ryan Palmer, 68-77, Brian Stuard, 73-72, Fran Quinn, 69-76, Cameron Tringale, 74-71
146 — Troy Matteson, 73-73, Jeff Overton, 75-71, Justin Bolli, 70-76, James Nitties, 80-66, Carl Pettersson, 72-74, Jeff Quinney, 71-75, Billy Mayfair, 78-68
147 — Parker McLachlin, 76-71, Brenden Pappas, 71-76, Marc Turnesa, 75-72, Jerod Turner, 72-75, Aron Price, 79-68
148 — Greg Kraft, 74-74, Brent Delahoussaye, 74-74, Kris Blanks, 75-73, Robert Garrigus, 74-74, Brad Adamonis, 74-74, Roger Tambellini, 74-74
149 — Kevin Johnson, 76-73, Steve Flesch, 80-69, Chris Baryla, 74-75
150 — John Daly, 79-71, Chris Wilson, 72-78
Qatar Masters
at Doha, Qatar
Second round
Brett Rumford, Australia 69-66— 135
Bradley Dredge, Wales 67-69— 136
Oliver Wilson, England 67-70— 137
Lee Westwood, England 68-69— 137
Niclas Fasth, Sweden 70-68— 138
Robert Karlsson, Sweden 68-70— 138
Also
Paul Casey, England 71-69— 140
Sergio Garcia, Spain 70-70— 140
Miguel Angel Jimenez, Spain 72-70— 142
Camilo Villegas, Colombia 70-72— 142
Ross Fisher, England 70-73— 143
Shaun Micheel, United States 73-71— 144
Kenny Perry , United States 74-72— 146
Todd Hamilton, United States 78-75— 153
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