Keegan Bradley is playing by the rules, but that can’t stop the onslaught of insults accusing the golfer of cheating.
The 26-year-old St. John’s alum has been relentlessly heckled for his controversial use of a belly putter and is sick of the criticism he has received from fans and the media for his club of choice. Bradley was the first player to win a major using the long putter, at the 2011 PGA Championship.
“I take great offense to people calling me a cheater. I think that’s unbelievable,” he said before this week’s Honda Classic. “It’s been pretty difficult, especially lately. I’m being called a cheater more than ever by fans, by some writers. It’s really tough. I can’t imagine how people can say that to me or to anybody out here. I’m sick of it, to be honest.”
Three of the past five major championships winners, including Bradley, have used a belly putter. (Webb Simpson at the U.S. Open and Ernie Els at the British Open are the others.) The U.S. Golf Association and Royal & Ancient Golf Club announced in November a proposed rule that would outlaw players from anchoring the club against their bodies, but PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said Sunday he opposed the proposed ban, unconvinced the belly putter provides a competitive advantage.
“I’m very proud and it makes me feel good that my tour, the tour I play on, has my back,” Bradley said. “I realize this is going to be an issue now for the next couple of years at least.I hope the USGA thought about us players before they did this because it’s been really difficult on me, and I know it’s been really difficult on some other players too.”
The proposed rule, created under the argument that putters should swing freely and not be anchored to any body part, would go into effect in 2016. Until then, Bradley may have to get used to the abuse.
“A lot of it is on Twitter which is ridiculous anyway, I know. I do read it and I shouldn’t,” he said. “There are silly fans that will say stuff. There’s the occasional article that comes out, there was one recently that came out that I couldn’t believe. The word cheater, I mean, it’s amazing that people can say that. It’s probably the worst thing you could ever say to an athlete.”