This is a highly unusual issue, and we recognize that there is no easy answer.

It is important to understand that this issue is not about Casey Martin, who has been granted a preliminary injunction that allows him to use motorized transportation in the two NIKE TOUR events that occur prior to the scheduled Feb. 2 hearing. Martin's courage, skill and desire to compete are admired.

The PGA TOUR respects Casey Martin as an individual and is very sympathetic about his condition; however, the fact remains that the playing field must be level for all golfers who play at the PGA TOUR level, which is the highest level of competitive golf in the world. For one player to have a competitive advantage is not equitable to the rest of the field.

Why is Walking Important in PGA TOUR and NIKE TOUR Tournament Golf?

Professional golf is an athletic competition and the ability to walk five miles each day for four consecutive competitive rounds, week after week, often under adverse conditions and over challenging terrain, is part of the endurance and stamina required to play professional golf at its highest level. The average golfer on the PGA TOUR competes in 20 events, and walks about 400 miles per season.

As a result, fatigue, and the loss ~f concentration caused by fatigue, can negatively affect a player's ability to execute golf shots. Unquestionably, being allowed to use motorized transportation gives an individual an advantage over the rest of the field. The ability to maintain concentration while spending five or more hours on your feet in difficult conditions is one of the fundamental skills a professional golfer must bring to the PGA TOUR.

While shot-making is obviously the primary skill of professional golfers, the ability to utilize that skill under a variety of conditions and over difficult terrain is a fundamental aspect of the game.

While some would say that a player should be permitted a cart under special circumstances, that position fails to recognize the unfair advantage such a concession evokes. Creating different rules of competition for players -- providing a different playing field -- compromises the integrity of our sport.

We feel that preserving the integrity of our competitions is essential, and it is important to note that this position is consistent with the view of golf's other leading organization, such as the United States Golf Association, the PGA of America, the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, the Ladies Professional Golf Association and many others. Players at the PGA TOUR level earn their livelihoods playing golf, and, as a result, we believe the rules of competitions must be consistent for everyone.

Professional Golfers Are Athletes

Also, an important point: professional golfers earn their living for themselves and their families -- recreational golfers do not -- an important distinction. Because golfers are athletes, a player must bring all the requisite athletic skills to the competition. This view is shared by all of the major golf organizations around the globe.

Today's successful professional golfer spends a great deal of time working on fitness and conditioning. In fact, a mobile Fitness Center travels with the PGA TOUR to accommodate the needs of our membership.

There can be no question that golf, while less rigorous than some other sports, still requires a great deal of strength and endurance to compete in 72-hole tournaments over an 11-month season. To take the conditioning factor out of the sport would be to change the fundamental nature of its competitions at the highest skill level.

Responsibility for the Rules of Competition

For all of the reasons stated previously, it is the PGA TOUR's position that the TOUR (and every other professional sports organization) has the right to formulate the rules governing its competitions. The rules and regulations governing a sport must rest in the hands of those who are responsible for conducting the competitions; in golf, the USGA, the R & A, the PGA TOUR, the LPGA, the PGA of America and others share this responsibility. Our position has been upheld by the courts, and we believe that it will be upheld again in this matter.

No PGA TOUR competitor is guaranteed anything. A player must earn his paycheck week in and week out -- they are independent contractors, not salaried employees -- thereby heightening the need for a consistent set of competitive rules for everyone. In order for this system to remain fair to all, the same rules of competition must apply to all.

The PGA TOUR Supports the Americans With Disabilities Act

PGA TOUR events provide handicap access so that fans may enjoy TOUR golf.

In addition, PGA TOUR events have raised a great deal of money over the years for organizations supporting individuals with disabilities.

However, there is a clear and important difference between providing access to play and watch the game of golf and providing accommodation to compete in the sport at its highest levels. The PGA TOUR believes that the Americans with Disabilities Act was not designed or intended to apply to competitors in professional sporting events, including professional golf.