Anchoring ban leads to cheating charges for Keegan Bradley

After a spectator at Tiger Woods’ World Challenge charged Keegan Bradley with cheating for using a belly putter, the USGA on Sunday called the charge “deplorable.”

The incident, which Bradley said occurred on the 18th hole of Saturday’s third round at Sherwood Country Club, followed Wednesday’s announcement by the USGA and R&A proposing a ban on anchored putting strokes. The proposed rule change would take effect on Jan. 1, 2016, unless golf’s governing bodies determine they should enact it sooner.

Keegan Bradley has golf’s overlords to thank for an ugly incident on Saturday at Tiger Woods’ World Challenge. Unfortunately, it’s one that may recur after the USGA and R&A announced that using an anchoring stroke with a long putter would be against the rules in three years.

“I had some guy here call me a cheater on the last hole, which was no fun,” Bradley, who managed to par the 18th at Sherwood Country Club, told reporters Saturday after a third round 5-under 67 put him two shots behind leader Graeme McDowell. “That’s unfortunate. It’s very disrespectful. But it’s fine with me. I’ve got to try and look at it as motivation to help me try to win this tournament.”