Monty to use "banned" driver

Colin Montgomerie may force the hand of the R&A this week when he tees up in the Seve Ballesteros Trophy playing with a new driver from Callaway.

The Callaway ERC driver, named after the company founder Ely Reeves Callaway, is claimed to be the "hottest driver ever", so much so that the USGA have forbidden its use in tournaments played under the USGA rules.

The USGA asked last month if it could test an ERC driver, and Callaway sent one with an 11-degree loft. Callaway spokesman Larry Dorman said the club was mailed on a Monday, and the verdict was returned a week later.

“Nobody could recall getting anything back from the USGA that quickly,” Dorman said.

The USGA tested the club and it did not conform to testing limits because it had too much "Spring-like effect" according to the USGA. The driver can be used in Japan and Europe and Callaway intend to market the product there solely and not in the USA.

But the R&A have not yet tested it and it is on the list of drivers permitted for use in tournament. But Colin Montgomerie might show the disparity between the two rules organisations when he tees up in the Seve Ballesteros Trophy at Sunningdale this week.

The USGA are responsible for governing the game in the United States and Mexico, whereas the R&A cover the rest of the world, including Europe and Japan, where the club will be marketed and sold.

David Rickman, rules official to the R&A said:

“We recognise that we need to make a decision as soon as possible, to be fair to everyone involved”.

Monty has been practising with the new driver for the last month and he intends to use it during this weeks event. But he won't be the first big name player to use the driver as Michael Campbell has already used the ERC in tournament conditions in the Australasian Tour Championship earlier in the year.