Exclusive: PGA, Mangum Recant Brush Damage Statements Made During 2011 PGA Championship

Mangum addresses the media during the 2011 PGA Championship.

If the glove does not fit, you must acquit.

Or, in this case, if you can’t prove the brush did the damage, you must take it back.

That’s what has been determined by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, Delta Division. In a stipulation of dismissal filed by the court on February 1st, 2012, in a case of greens brush manufacturer GreensPerfection Inc. versus Atlanta Athletic Club, Ken Mangum, CGCS and the PGA of America, it was declared that the defendants “never determined and never intended to say that GreensPerfection brushes caused damage to any putting greens at the Atlanta Athletic Club in August 2011.”

That’s an about-face from what was stated at the PGA Championship, in both a press release and on live TV. In a press release issued by the PGA of America concerning the damage, it stated that, “damage is believed to be the result of a significant rise in the dew point at approximately 7:00 p.m., which caused the brushes on the mowers on those greens to stick in the grass and damage the turf.” In a live press conference broadcast on the Golf Channel on August 11th, 2011, Ken Mangum, CGCS, director of golf course and grounds, echoed that sentiment, saying, “the only answer I could come up with was that the humidity changed and the brush grabbed and dug into the green and caused the problem.”

But Rodney Lingle, CGCS at Memphis CC and owner of GreensPerfection Inc., manufacturer of the brush being used at Atlanta Athletic Club, refused to believe that his brushes could have caused such damage. In a statement sent exclusively to Golfdom, Lingle states, “After the statements made at the 93rd PGA Championship, we felt a responsibility to our current customer’s concerns, as well as potential customers, to make sure they knew our product was safe and effective. GreensPerfection brushes are incapable of damaging any greens in the way represented by the defendants,” the statement reads. “According to the official court document, the defendants never determined that GreensPerfection brushes caused damage to any putting greens at the Atlanta Athletic Club and the brushes are still in use at The Atlanta Athletic Club and have been since the PGA Championship.”

Where to start?

It was a great day out there at the PGA Championship, but I don't even know where to start.

What was my biggest highlight of the day? The Rees Jones interview? The Graeme McDowell interview? Following the crew on the back nine during evening maintenance?

I'll tell you one highlight that was certainly unexpected... Ken Mangum was addressing the group during dinner. I was snapping photos of him while he was doing it... he was thanking the folks who supported the team at Atlanta Athletic Club... he named BASF, John Deere, Cleary, then some other industry mainstays... then he named ME, Seth Jones, and Golfdom magazine! WOW! Thanks, Ken! What an honor!

I'll tell you another two highlights... Kyle Johnson (pictured, right) gave me a ride from the maintenance facility to No. 10 green, saving me a loooong walk! Thank you Kyle! Then, to finish my evening, Tyler Andersen (pictured, left) gave me a ride to my car, saving me another looooong walk! Thank you Tyler!

Somehow, someday, I'll have to do cover stories on you BOTH, OK?

This photo is a pic of Tyler, Kasey Kauff and Kyle at the practice range. They asked if they should take off their sunglasses. I told them, "No, keep them on, you guys look like Reservoir Dogs!"

Mangum interview on GolfdomTV

It's PGA Championship week!

I'm heading to the golf course right now. We've got tons of great content planned this week. Stay tuned all week and we'll see what all we can come up with!