Wednesday 5 April 2017 08:27, UK
Phil Mickelson has wrapped up his Masters preparations by accusing some of his rivals of cheating when it comes to ball marking.
The three-time champion was discussing Lexi Thompson's controversial four-shot penalty in the ANA Inspiration for replacing her ball in the wrong spot on the putting green after a TV viewer had emailed in.
"To have a tournament be decided like that, with just a little bit of loose marking, I think it should be reversed," Mickelson said. "I think that she should be given the trophy.
"A number of guys on tour are loose with how they mark the ball and have not been called on it.
"They will move the ball two, three inches in front of their mark, and this is an intentional way to get it out of any type of impression and so forth. That kind of stuff needs to stop.
"I feel like we've all kind of been a little lax at times in the markings of our golf ball and I hate to see it cost somebody a major championship because of that."
Thompson was praised by many of her peers, as well as Tiger Woods, for holding her nerve in California and forcing a play-off at the weekend, where she lost to South Korean So Yeon Ryu.
Rory McIlroy also defended the actions of Thompson and expressed his concern at the effect on the sport.
"I know Lexi and the one thing she is not is a cheat," he said. "What's happened with all these rules controversies does not put out a good image for us and the game of golf.
"Tiger said it best when he said people at home don't need to be wearing stripes and calling in."
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