Colin Montgomerie believes the belly putter should be banned from the game, but he has still put one in his bag for the Barclays Singapore Open this week.
The Scot is competing in the co-sanctioned event for a third consecutive year and has been in the country for a week acclimatising to Singapore's humid conditions. The former European No.1 had also been in Australia hosting corporate outings at the famed Royal Melbourne course and The Lakes in Sydney, which will serve as the venue for next month's Australian Open.
That meant he was not in China when Keegan Bradley and Carl Pettersson criticised proposed action by golf's governing bodies to ban the belly putter, with both men suggesting that they would consider legal action if the rule came into effect in 2016.
However, Montgomerie, who is averaging 30.9 putts a round, disagrees. "I'm using the belly putter but I don't agree with it, and I don't agree with you being allowed to hinge it against your body," said Montgomerie, who will be among five Scots in the field this week. "So while it's legal I will use it but as soon as it's not, I will agree with the powers to be in that it has to go. It's got to go.
"I can understand Keegan and Carl's reasoning in considering to take the matter further if the ban should come in, but no golf club should be anchored or hinged.
"If they've only used the belly putter all life then they need to adapt and abide by the change to the rules. If I had the chance I wouldn't wait to 2016, I'd ban it tomorrow."
Montgomerie will also tee-up in the $6m Singapore event lying 138th on the Race to Dubai but well down in 480th on the world rankings. These are changed days from when the Scot was an illustrious name in the sport – he was No.2 in the world in 1996 – but he is keen to feed off the form shown by No.1 Rory McIlroy in the coming tournaments.
"With the world No.1 playing here in Singapore and next week in Hong Kong then suddenly there is more world ranking points available for all of us," said Monty. "People fed off me when I was No.2 in the world and I will be trying to reverse that role over this next fortnight.
"I don't look at the world rankings as much as I used to but at the same time I think that people who are 51st on the rankings, or thereabouts, would be glad Rory is playing. It's great Rory is in Singapore and Hong Kong supporting the European Tour."
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