Report: Martin has leg amputated
Fowler shoots 63, grabs CJ Cup lead
NEW YORK — Casey Martin, the Oregon golf coach who successfully sued the PGA Tour for the right to use a cart because of a rare circulatory disease, had his right leg amputated in what he told Golf Digest was always going to be “my destiny.”
The magazine, which has been in touch with Martin over the last few weeks, reported on its website that he had surgery Friday and was recovering at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. His brother said doctors feel it went well enough that Martin has a good shot at an effective prosthesis.
Martin suffered from Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome, which restricted circulation in the lower portion of his right leg and made it virtually impossible for him to walk 18 holes. He still managed to practice and play well enough to earn a PGA Tour card for the 2000 season.
His lawsuit citing the Americans with Disabilities Act made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which voted 7-2 in his favor in a 2001 decision.
Martin was a teammate of Tiger Woods and Albuquerque native Notah Begay III at Stanford. Martin and Begay started out together in school in 1990.
“I talked to Casey. He’s in good spirits and looking forward to this next chapter in life,” Begay told the Journal on Saturday. He considers Martin one of his best friends.
“He’s the type of guy who’s going to make the best of it and continue to do great things in the game of golf.”
Martin has been the head golf coach at Oregon since 2006. He qualified for the U.S. Open in 2012.
The magazine said Martin, 49, broke his right leg two years ago, which eventually led to the decision to amputate when being in a cast and a series of injections failed to heal the tibia.
“In many ways I exceeded what my doctors told me as a kid,” Martin told Golf Digest two weeks ago. “I always felt this would be my destiny. So while it’s weird to be here now, about to become seriously disfigured, it’s not unexpected.”
Jeff Quinney, the 2000 U.S. Amateur champion and assistant coach at Oregon, will take over while Martin recovers.
PGA TOUR: In Las Vegas, Nevada, Rickie Fowler returned to the spotlight Saturday in the foothills above the city with his best round in three years, a 9-under 63 that gave him a two-shot lead over Rory McIlroy going into the final round of the CJ Cup at Summit.
Fowler hasn’t had an opportunity this good since his last victory on the PGA Tour in the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open, and it doesn’t figure to be easy at The Summit Club with all the low scores it has been yielding.
McIlroy started the final round nine shots out of the lead, ran off five straight birdies on the front nine and then took care of the scoring holes, closing with a 7-iron into 20 feet for eagle on the par-5 18th hole for a 62.
Fowler, who has plunged to No. 128 in the world ranking, birdied three of his last five holes and was at 21-under 195.
“I haven’t been there a lot the last couple of years, so it’s nice to be back in that position,” Fowler said. “It’s been a long time coming. It’s been a long road, tough times. We’re not done.”
Nine players were within five shots of the lead, and anything goes at this tournament. Las Vegas is known for wild entertainment, and that might go beyond the Strip that can be seen on the horizon.
“Rickie and Rory being up there, it’s going to be an exciting day for sure for everyone in the golf world tomorrow to watch,” said Adam Scott, who had a 67 and was three behind. “There’s tons of great players who can shoot a low one, including those guys.”
Abraham Ancer had a 63. He also was three behind, along with Robert Streb (65).
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS: In Cary, N.C., Miguel Angel Jimenez eagled the par-5 17th in a 4-under 68 for a share of the second-round lead Saturday with Alex Cejka in the SAS Championship.
Cejka shot a 67 in the round delayed 90 minutes late in the afternoon because of rain to match Jimenez at 9-under 135 at Prestonwood Country Club.
Bernhard Langer (66) was a stroke back with Scott Dunlap (68) and first-round leader Scott Parel (71). T