PGA Tour, agent deny report Tiger Woods suspended for substance violation
The PGA Tour denied a report Monday that Tiger Woods has been suspended for a month after failing a drug test, writes ESPN's Bob Harig.
Dan Olsen, a former pro who last played on tour in 2011, told a Lansing, Mich., radio station Friday that Woods had been suspended after a substance violation.
"I heard he's on a month's suspension," Olsen said. "It's kind of a strong witness. It's a credible person who is telling me this.'
"It's not testosterone, but it's something else. I think when it's all said and done, he's gonna surpass Lance Armstrong with infamy.''
PGA Tour executive vice president Ty Votaw shot Olsen's suggestions down with force.
"There is no truth whatsoever to these claims," he said. "We categorically deny these allegations."
Woods' agent Mark Steinberg said in a statement:
These claims are absolutely, unequivocally and completely false. They are unsourced, unverified and completely ridiculous. The PGA Tour has confirmed that there is no truth to these claims.
Olsen backtracked fully Monday:
Everything I said on that radio interview was only my opinion and not based on any firsthand knowledge or facts. I want to make a full retraction to everything I said for the entire radio interview, and I apologize to Tiger, Nike, Phil (Mickelson), (commissioner) Tim Finchem and the PGA Tour.
Olsen also suggested Friday that Woods was playing with a golf ball that hadn't been tested, giving Tiger another advantage over the field.
Olsen said:
So he's really playing with - I'm not gonna say a cheater ball, because he has the help of the establishment, really - but he played a ball that nobody else could play. ...
So that combined with his enhancement issues, like having a Canadian blood spinning doctor in his phone, you know? I mean, I think people are starting to openly call it what it is, which is gonna be a problem for him.
Nike responded and followed the PGA Tour and Woods' agent, saying Olsen's remarks were not true:
Every ball Tiger has put in competitive play from Nike has been thoroughly tested and approved by the USGA and R&A in accordance with their governing rules,