Or he could step the wrong way and the leg could snap, ending his career. Martin's game is also down. He finished in a tie for 23rd at the 1998 U.S. Open and qualified for the PGA Tour last year but did not play well enough to keep his card for 2001. Playing on a sponsor's exemption at the Tucson Open, his first tournament of the season, he failed to make the cut. The case has sharply divided a sport that cherishes rules and tradition.
Active players seem more open to the idea, though they, too, have reservations.
I think it's important that every major sport has the right to have competitive rules,'' said Phil Mickelson. Tiger Woods , the best player in the world and one of its most influential athletes, was a teammate of Martin's at Stanford University, and the two used to room together on road trips. Woods said Martin sometimes would be in so much pain that he couldn't get up to use the bathroom. Blood flow to his right leg is restricted, leaving it withered and causing him intense pain. Walking an entire golf course is nearly impossible.