Keegan Bradley: "I'm being called a cheater more than ever by fans"

Last December, in the wake of the proposed ban on anchored putting announcement, Keegan Bradley said he was called a "cheater" by fans during the third round of the World Challenge.

In response to the alleged fan abuse, the USGA issued a statement condemning the fan behavior, however, it's done little to stop further taunting. In his pre-Honda Classic press conference, Keegan Bradley told reporters that more and more fans, and even some in the media, are now calling him and his fellow anchorers "cheaters".

"Commissioner Finchem and the PGA Tour have always had their players' backs, no matter how big or small the group is," Bradley said. "Two of the biggest golf organizations, the PGA Tour and the PGA of America have said that they don't agree with the USGA (and R&A). If they are really taking this comment period seriously, I think they really need to look at what's been said by both those organizations.

" ... When I won the PGA in 2011 with a belly putter, I did my press conference and I didn't get asked one question about it.

" ... I'm being called a cheater more than ever by fans, by some writers — none of your guys — and it's really tough. A lot of it's on Twitter, which is ridiculous, anyways, I know. I do read it and I shouldn't. I can't imagine how people can say that to me or to anybody out here. It's been really difficult, and I'm sick of it to be honest. I'm ready to be over it. I realize that this is going to be an issue now for the next couple 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."

" ... It's a mess. It's going to be a mess."

If Keegan is in fact telling the truth about the alleged fan abuse — and I have no reason not to believe him — then it's pathetic. If you're at a PGA Tour event and you hear a fan yell "cheater" at Keegan or any anchored putter'er, do me a favor and report it to the appropriate authority. To call someone a cheater in golf — a game in which one's moral compass is of the utmost importance — is a cardinal sin and it shouldn't be tolerate.

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Image via Flickr, TourProGolfClubs

[ comments ]

bducharm says:
This is absolutely sad! Nathan, you are correct - golf is a game of honor and integrity and for "fans" to call Keegan a cheater, well that just goes to show you it takes all types!

2/27/13

bkuehn1952 says:
He has made an error in acknowledging the comments publicly. Now every yahoo out there knows how to press Keegan's button. As far as Twitter, that is very manageable; stop reading them.

2/27/13

mjaber says:
One thing I don't get about Twitter... why are they called "tweets"? Shouldn't they be called "twits"?

2/27/13

bducharm says:
@bkuehn - agreed! However I kind of feel Keegan's pain. He looks like a pretty emotional guy and that can really get to you. If he had said nothing, then nothing would have happened. I commend him on speaking out and maybe the PGAT will take some action to kick out some idiots that get too liquored up that they can't keep their mouths shut!!!

2/27/13

birdieXris says:
@mjaber--- No, the twits are the people tweeting. :)

2/27/13

mjaber says:
@birdie... I stand (err... sit) corrected. :)

2/27/13

falcon50driver says:
Never twitted, no sir, don't like it, don't like it one bit.(Movie quote, Mash, on making Radar a Corporal Captain by pinning captain's bars on him so that he could get into the O club)

2/27/13

badcaddy says:
the thing is, none of his playing partners, nor his caddie heard someone call him a cheater in December.

i follow him on Instagram, and while some people make mention of the putter, i haven't seen anyone straight up call him a cheater yet.

i think he's just being sensitive.

2/28/13

DougE says:
I have no problem with Keegan's use of the long putter. But that stupid back and forth dance he does before every shot should be outlawed! One, two, three, back...One, two, back...one, two, three, four, back...one, two,...one, two, back....just PULL THE DAMN TRIGGER for Christ's sake!

2/28/13

mjaber says:
@falcon50... that was from the TV show, not the movie. I think it was the episode where Trapper left, and BJ arrived.

2/28/13

mustang6560 says:
As Tor always says, 1,000 points to DougE! It's a weird idiosyncrasy at best.

2/28/13

mustang6560 says:
I wonder if anyone is keeping track of Tor's points?

2/28/13

legitimatebeef says:
If it's such a problem why doesn't he name names. Who are these "writers, not you guys". Maybe by "writers" he means to say "anonymous tools on the internet". I don't really buy it because "fans" are not that zealous about existing rules never mind a rule that has yet to be enacted. I am gonna guess that Keegan overheard the word "cheater" here or there and that this reaction really just speaks to how sensitive he is about his putting style.

2/28/13

joe jones says:
As far as I can tell I think his routine is some form of a latin dance. I haven't been able to find a tune that matches his steps but that might be a contest that we can start. Either that it may be some adaptation of "Put your little foot, put your little foot right out".

3/1/13

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