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Rumor has it that a significant number of PGA Tour Pros had tested positive for drugs yet not punished.  A lawyer by the name of Jeffrey Rosenblum told a court in memphis that his client  Doug Barron had been singled out and used as an example while there were many other golfers who tested positive for recreational drugs like marijuana and cocaine and not punished at all.

The Guardian UK's Lawrence Donegan wrote:

Barron, who has made $3m in prize money during his PGA Tour career, was banned for a year after testing positive this summer for beta-blockers and testosterone – both drugs prescribed by his doctors to combat medical conditions. He had sought, and had been denied, "therapeutic exemptions" to take the drugs and continue to play in tour events.  "I cannot say how many positive tests there have been on the tour but from discussions I have had with my client and other people, I believe the number is significant," Rosenblum told the Guardian last night. "I am very concerned that if the PGA Tour knew of even one person who took an illegal drug and yet chose not to punish that person, while at the same time my client was thrown out of the sport for one year. I believe that is an abuse of discretion."

The PGA Tour's commissioner and it's other press staff could not be reached for comment.  Tim Finchem did mention earlier in the year that they may have had some test results that trouble them but that they would not publicize them.

Barrons lawyer is expecting a ruling on his request to stay and play on tour as its how he supports his wife and kids. So this leaves me with the question should players be banned from the tour, suspended, both or put into treatment? Should regular testing be done on the Tour and is it really any of the PGA Tour's business if a player is using non performance enhancing recreational drugs like Marijuana?

What say you? Please vote in the poll and sound off in the comments section:

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While Baseball, Football and even cycling has had it's extremely large share of drug problems, doping rumors and performance enhancing issues, it looks like a solid year into the official testing on the PGA Tour has come up with exactly nothing.  How much of a great relief and breath of fresh air is it that in the midst of so many drug scandals and steroid rumors, the PGA Tour is completely and utterly clean!?

Finchem & Tour Members Are Clean

Turns out, that's exactly the case as PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem has officially announced the news.  The great thing, and sign of a great leader on the PGA Tour was that when the drug-testing officially begain, Finchem himself was the very first person to be tested under the new anti-doping policy, while Tim Clark was the very first PGA Golfer to go under the test.  We're a year in, and more than 1,000 samples have been taken and as mentioned, not a single test has come up positive.  Phew.

Finchem Speaks Out

According to Finchem:

"There have been no suspensions because of doping...It's not going to surprise me if we have some issue, but I think what's clear is we do not have a doping problem. Having an issue or two as we go forward does not mean we're having a problem. It could mean a lot of things. But - knock on wood - we're very pleased at this point in time."

I'm afraid there will always be suspicions, but we're inclined to agree that it's a great sign for golf that no one has tested positive.  In an age where everyone is cautious to believe everything, in every sport, it's refreshing to see a sport we love so much uphold the high level of class and purity that we come to expect.

Keep it Up PGA!

Hopefully, for the PGA Tour and all of us fans, this great record continues.  I'd had to see the finger pointed at another great sport.  Keep it up Golfers!