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Pleading his case Martin appears on Sports Tonight on eve of court case
Updated: Wednesday January 17, 2001 7:10 PM
By Mark Button, CNNSI.com Casey Martin does not think using a golf cart during competition ruins the integrity of the PGA Tour. The Tour, on the other hand, does. The U.S. Supreme Court will have the final say on the matter. During his appearance on CNN's Sports Tonight on Tuesday night, Martin said the Tour should comply with the American's with Disabilities Act, which mandates institutions to make accommodations for disabled individuals. The Tour is fighting to protect a rule which states every PGA player must walk the course during competition. Martin, 28, sued the Tour for the right to use a golf cart based on the ADA. He has been allowed to use a cart pending his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which will begin to hear arguments in the case Wednesday.
Born with Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome, a disorder that restricts blood flow to the right leg and causes immense pain and weakness in the leg, Martin said he does not agree with anyone who says his plight will compromise the integrity of the Tour. "That's almost offensive to people with disabilities -- to say that if they are given the chance to play, they would ruin it for everybody else," he said. "There are very few people with disabilities who are able to make it to the top level of sports, obviously, and to say that we would ruin it for everybody else is ridiculous." Martin finished tied for 23rd at the 1998 U.S. Open, and he qualified for the PGA Tour this past season. However, he did not play well enough to retain his Tour card. He failed to make the cut in this past weekend's Tucson Open, the first event of the 2001 PGA Tour season. During the 2000 season, Martin saw a mixed reaction from his peers on the Tour. "There were a lot of people who were supportive," he said, "and there were some detractors. I just try not to focus too much on that." What Martin is focusing on is his case against the Tour. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the Tour, it will probably end his dream of playing in the PGA. "It would be a tough pill to swallow, no doubt about it," he said. "Hopefully, that won't happen." There is no timetable set for a ruling on Martin's case.
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