Golf:The PGA Tour's dilemma with the controversial grooves rule, highlighted by Phil Mickelson in January, was resolved last night when club manufacturer Ping opted to waive its rights as of the end of March .
Under United States Golf Association (USGA) rules implemented at the start of the year, square or U-grooves have been outlawed but a 20-year-old Ping wedge was deemed legal because of a lawsuit won by its manufacturer over the USGA in 1990.
Several players on the 2010 PGA Tour have used the square grooved wedge, most notably Mickelson who was accused of 'cheating' by fellow American Scott McCarron at the San Diego Open in January. McCarron later apologised for his comments.
Padraig Harrington tested the club but didn’t actually use one in competition.
Ping chairman and chief executive John Solheim said his company had acted "in the best interests of golf" and that pre-April 1990 clubs would not be permitted on the US circuit once the March 29th waiver takes effect.
"The problem is solved on the PGA Tour and the integrity of the original agreements is unaffected," Solheim said on Monday.
"It levels the playing field on the PGA Tour and resolves a very unfortunate situation that we predicted would happen when the USGA first proposed the new groove rule more than two years ago.”
The waiver will apply to the PGA Tour, the senior Champions Tour and the satellite Nationwide Tour.
Mickelson, renowned for his short game, has been a consistent critic of the rule change and put the controversial club in his bag at Torrey Pines simply to make a point.
"It was a ridiculous rule change and even worse timing," said the 39-year-old world number three. "It's cost manufacturers millions of dollars. It continues to cost them money as we now have to hire people to scan, document and store data of every groove on every single club."
Tour commissioner Tim Finchem was delighted Ping had decided to waive its rights under the 1990 settlement, saying: "John Solheim and Ping had a terrific opportunity to do something very positive and significant for the game of golf and we very much appreciate his willingness to take this action."