Bradley defends belly putters

Last updated: 1st December 2012

Keegan Bradley has questioned the fairness of the joint proposal by USGA and Royal & Ancient to outlaw the use of 'pivot points' with long putters from 2016.

Bradley, who was tied for second on six under after the second day of the World Golf Challenge in California, has spoken out in favour of those - himself included - who use the technique several times in the past.

"I feel like the USGA has really put an 'X' on our back and really shone a light on us, and I don't know if that's exactly fair," said Bradley. "When we started putting with it, they were legal, and they still are. It's a sticky situation, and I hope people can see through that."

Bradley also revealed that his use of the stroke has provoked a torrent of abuse on Twitter, and called for a change of focus away from the "unconventional putter" and onto the accomplishments of the players themselves.

"I've been catching such flak on Twitter and these other places and it would be good to kind of quiet them a little bit," he said. "I had a guy telling me to send my application in to Burger King for 2016.

"I hope that people look at us - guys who use a long putter or belly putter - for the accomplishments and the players that we are, not look at us for using an unconventional putter.