Cart-bound Casey Martin raises putter in triumph after Nike Lakeland (Fla.) Classic victory on Sunday. DAVID MILLS/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Win helps Casey's case for cart PGA commissioner congratulates Nike Tour winner, but keeps anti-cart stance

Web posted January 12, 1998

Associated Press

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Casey Martin drove his golf cart to victory Sunday, shooting a final-round 3-under-par 69 to claim a one-shot victory in the Nike Tour's season-opening Lakeland Classic.

Martin, who has a congenital leg disability that makes it hard for him to walk, is suing the PGA Tour under the Americans With Disabilities Act for the right to drive a cart in competition.

He was allowed to ride his cart in the Nike event.

The 25-year-old Stanford graduate finished the 72-hole event at 19-under-par. Runnerup Steve Lamontagne birdied four of his final seven holes to shoot 67.

Martin rebounded from a bogey on the 15th hole, to birdie 16, then par the final two holes. On the par-5 18th with a one-shot lead, Martin dropped a sand wedge 15 feet below the hole then easily two putted, finishing with a tap in to claim the $40,500 winner's check.

With three holes remaining Sunday morning from his darkness-halted third round, Martin went par, birdie, par and had a two-shot lead over Woody Austin when the final round began. He played the final 18 holes with five birdies and two bogeys.

``I kind of figured 20-under would win and just tried to get to that point,'' he said. ``I really tried not to think about winning. You can't help not to, but I was trying to focus on each shot.''

The victory, earned amid a swirl of attention about his cart, was a relief to Martin.

``A total weight has been lifted,'' he said. ``All the stuff about the court and all the talk about me playing in a cart, it weighs on you emotionally. Just to win is an amazing relief.''

Maybe not for the PGA Tour, in the process of building a vigorous defense to Martin's court challenge.

Shortly after Martin's final putt rattled into the cup, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem released a statement congratulating Martin on his win, but reminding him the PGA's stance hasn't changed.

``The fact remains that Mr. Martin participated and won while using a golf cart under the terms of a court order,'' Finchem said. ``The outcome of this week's Nike Lakeland Classic doesn't in any way affect the PGA Tour position relative to the use of golf carts.''

It did, however, underline Martin's contention that only his inability to walk for extended periods stands in the way of a professional golf career.

``I think this probably helps me with the public,'' he said. ``They probably realize I have the potential to make it someday and if I don't get a cart, it will probably prevent me from doing that. So it might have an effect that way, but I don't think it's going to affect the commissioner. I think he's set in his ways.

``It wasn't like I was all pumped to make history,'' Martin said. ``I'm kind of saddened. I need a cart. But I would do anything to be able to walk down the fairway.''

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