Shadoff is rare LPGA Tour player to go with long putter in face of ban

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- Jodi Ewart Shadoff is one of the few LPGA Tour players to use an anchored putting stroke, a method the U.S. Golf Association and Royal & Ancient Golf Club have proposed banning. 

 

"I've said this a lot of times, but all you have to do is look at my putting stats to know it's not a huge advantage," Ewart Shadoff said Friday after her second round in the Kraft Nabisco Championship. "To be honest, if they do decide to ban it, it wouldn't be a huge issue for me. I'd have to spend a couple months really working out with a short putter, but it wouldn't be a huge deal for me." 

 

The USGA and Royal & Ancient Golf Club proposed the ban late last year. If adopted, it would go into effect in 2016. 

 

"If they go ahead and do ban it, then I probably expect to use it and start making the switch in the offseason," said Ewart Shadoff, who has used an anchored putting stroke since November 2011. "I did actually go back to the short putter in Malaysia at the end of last year for the first round. That didn't go so well. I actually hole more long putts with the short putter, but I'm very consistent with the belly putter within 6 feet." 

 

Ewart Shadoff shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday for a share of the first-round lead with Suzann Pettersen and Na Yeon Choi. The 25-year-old Englishwoman had a 72 on Friday to remain tied for the lead with the afternoon starters still on the course.