Phil Mickelson accused of cheating for using a 20-year-old club

PHIL MICKELSON has defended his use of a 20-year-old wedge in the wake of accusations by fellow professional Scott McCarron he is cheating by playing with it.

World No.2 Mickelson has opened his PGA Tour campaign for 2010 with a Ping i2 wedge in his bag at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego, exploiting a loophole in equipment regulations introduced on 1 January by golf's rulemakers, the United States Golf Association and Royal & Ancient Golf Club.

While the club features the grooves banned by the US, a lawsuit in the early 1990s led to Ping wedges manufactured before 1990 being allowed to be put in play and several tour players have opted to use them, Mickelson the most high-profile.

"It's cheating, and I'm appalled Phil has put it in play," McCarron was quoted as saying. Mickelson agreed in principle that he was exploiting a loophole.

"I agree that it's a terrible rule," Mickelson said following his second round at Torrey Pines.

"To change something that has this kind of loophole is nuts. But it's not up to me or any other player to interpret what the rule is or the spirit of the rule.

"All my clubs are approved for play, and I take that very seriously not to violate any rule."

Mickelson left the North course at Torrey Pines four shots off the halfway lead held by DA Points and Ryuji Imada at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego.

In Doha, European No.1 Lee Westwood and ex-caddie Oliver Wilson are ideally placed heading into the weekend at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters with just a two-shot deficit to second-round leader Brett Rumford.

Joint overnight leader Wilson, who caddied for then county champion Westwood some 20 years ago, shot a bogey-free 70 at the Doha Golf Club to join the world No.4 at seven under par.

Westwood, 36, carded a satisfying three-under 69.

"I haven't holed anything, but I'm still feeling solid over holing out so I'm definitely getting better and maybe something will click," said 29-year-old Wilson.

Out in front, Australian Rumford set the midway mark at nine under par after dropping just one shot in carding the best round of a windswept week as a six-under-par 66 helped the Perth native open up a one-shot lead over Bradley Dredge.

Lothians ace Stephen Gallacher made his first cut since returning to the European Tour after illness thanks to a second-round 70 that included six birdies.

Gallacher, who had failed to make the final two rounds in the Africa Open, Joburg Open and the Abu Dhabi Championship, made it through this time on one-over.

Marc Warren (two-under) and Edinburgh-based Richie Ramsay (one-under) were the only other Scots to survive, with Andrew Coltart, the winner in Qatar 12 years ago, missing out on three-over.