Golf World - February 25, 2014

rounding his use of deer-antler spray was cleared to go to trial when New York Supreme Court Justice Eileen Bransten ruled Feb. 18 to allow Singh and his legal team to proceed with two of the seven claims they have made against the tour. Two of seven may not be a high percentage, but for a plaintiff who was widely criticized for taking action against the tour, the ruling represents an early victory.

“The PGA Tour recklessly failed to
do basic scientific tests and to access
resources that would have shown that
the way they disciplined Vijay was not
appropriate,” Singh’s lawyer, Peter
Ginsberg, told Golf World. “Vijay also
has complained that he was treated
differently and more harshly than
other golfers in similar situations.”
According to Ginsberg, those two
claims are the strength of the case
against the PGA Tour. One focuses
on the tour’s alleged lack of research
and study regarding IGF- 1 (the illegal
ingredient in deer-antler spray), and
the tour’s slow response to the removal
of IGF- 1 from the World Anti-Doping
Agency’s list of banned substances.

Also, the tour held in escrow Singh’s earnings from February to April of 2013, including those from the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, which was held before Singh says he was notified of his suspension. PGA Tour chief global communications officer Ty Votaw said the tour would not comment on pending litigation, and the tour’s lawyers couldn’t be reached for comment.

For Singh and his team, the reasons
for legal action may be sounder than
the public initially perceived. But
while they wait for the PGA Tour to
supply information regarding past
anti-doping violations—information
that the tour is certainly hesitant to
part with—the chances of a settlement
begin to seem more likely. —B.M.

PGA TOUR
Few tour events closing
Tuesdays to spectators

�� Two strongholds of the PGA Tour’s West Coast swing—the Northern Trust Open and the Farmers Insurance Open—closed gates to spectators Tuesday of tournament week this season in an effort to save money, but most other events aren’t taking similar measures. Nineteen of 20 directors of non-WGC events surveyed by Golf World said their tournaments are committed to remaining open for Tuesday practice rounds (the Reno-Tahoe Open is undecided).

Speaking on behalf of tournament directors for the Riviera and Torrey Pines events, PGA Tour spokesman Ty Votaw cited security, transportation and concessions costs as the issue. For events that struggle with early-week attendance, saving money can positively impact charitable donations, added Votaw. The tour has also implemented a stricter security policy for this season, an undoubtedly larger expense for each event.

Tuesdays are typically the practice
day when players, devoid of pro-am
obligations, have the best chance of
interacting freely with spectators.
Exceptions are the Tour Champion-

01Jason Day wins WGC-Accenture Match Play. His second win was a long time coming—but you can bet his third won’t be.

02 Runner-up Victor Dubuisson delivers stunning, highlight-film hat trick of par-saves to extend championship match.

Think Harry Houdini meets Seve Ballesteros. 03 Rickie Fowler ( 18 feet) accepts good-good offer from Sergio Garcia (six feet) in third round.

Only Sergio could get killed for trying to be a nice guy.

04 Judge’s ruling keeps Vijay Singh’s suit against the PGA Tour alive.

Really? All this over deer-antler spray? 05 World Ranking top guns tee it up at Honda Classic. Otherwise known as: What should have been the WGC Match Play field.

06 WGC’s annual Akron stop won’t have fan access Tuesday of tournament week.

Another proud moment in grow-the-game history.

07 Anna Nordqvist (shown), who weighed quitting in 2013, wins her first LPGA event since 2009.

Turns out there’s no qvit in Nordqvist. 08 Royal County Down reportedly to host 2015 Irish Open. A few blind shots but lots of greatness.

09 Padraig Harrington reveals on radio show he has received treatment for skin cancer.

Take a tip from the three-time major winner: Get checked.

T HAN AN U WA TS RI RA SAN T/ G E T T Y IMA G ES ;M O N TAN AP RI TC HA RD/ PG AO FAM E RICA

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