Only a week removed from its latest controversy, the USGA once again finds themselves up against one of the game’s most popular players. At the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, the governing body was doing battle with Phil Mickelson and this week at the U.S. Senior Open, John Daly has emerged as their adversary.
Speaking out on social media, Daly said that due to “deteriorating osteoarthritis” and because the USGA would not allow him to use a cart despite his falling under the Americans with Disabilities Act, he was forced to withdraw.
Unfortunately— I had to WD from the US SENIOR OPEN. The deteriorating osteoarthritis isn’t helping my rt knee. I fall under the @ADANational but @USGA turned down a cart for me this week. Just going to give the knee a rest. Don’t know what’s ahead for me. https://t.co/Bna5maK13P
— John Daly (@PGA_JohnDaly) June 25, 2018
“Unfortunately, I had to WD from the U.S. Senior Open,” Daly wrote. “The deteriorating osteoarthritis isn’t helping my (right) knee. I fall under the (Americans with Disabilities Act), but the USGA turned down a cart for me this week. Just going to give the knee a rest. Don’t know what’s ahead for me.”
Under the ADA, the USGA requires players or caddies to provide medical documentation that proves “substantial impairment” and that the using of a golf cart is needed. The USGA reserves the right to deny access to a cart if it is believed to “fundamentally alter the fairness of the competition,” according to GolfChannel.com.
The USGA responded with a statement confirming that Daly requested a cart, but when asked for further information, he decided to withdraw.
On Daly’s withdrawal: Each request is reviewed individually. We respect the privacy of all players and cannot discuss any medical conditions. We offered Mr. Daly the opportunity to provide additional information to support his request. He decided to withdraw this morning.
— USGA PR (@USGA_PR) June 25, 2018
Full statement below: pic.twitter.com/sPeAzdyGhL
— USGA PR (@USGA_PR) June 25, 2018
“Consistent with the ADA, the USGA reviews each request for cart usage on a case-by-case basis, and can confirm John Daly followed the USGA process, which includes working with a medical consultant,” the statement read. “However, his submission did not support a waiver of the walking condition. We offered Mr. Daly the opportunity to provide additional information to support his request for a cart. He informed us this morning that he decided to withdraw.”
Daly flatly denied that the USGA’s claim that they requested more information.
I’m not going to mislead the media or my fans. No “additional information” was ever requested, or it would have been provided. I “WD” bc @USGA had already made their decision after our exhaustive medical submission. Any claim to the contrary is pure fiction. https://t.co/6EfnBnkqaJ
— John Daly (@PGA_JohnDaly) June 26, 2018
“I’m not going to mislead the media or my fans,” Daly responded. “No ‘additional information’ was ever requested, or it would have been provided. I (withdrew because) the USGA had already made their decision after our exhaustive medical submission. Any claim to the contrary is pure fiction.”
Daly has three top-10s in eight starts this season on the PGA Tour Champions. He will be replaced in the U.S. Senior Open field by David McKenzie.
