Cup Time

From The Palm Beach Post-

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens said she has no knowledge of drug use among tour players. The tour still plans to start checking.

The LPGA Tour said Wednesday it will begin testing players for performance-enhancing drugs in 2008, a move that makes it the first major golf tour to announce a drug-testing program.

Specifics of the testing plan will be worked up over the next six to nine months, Bivens said. The tour plans to announce the program details, including testing methods and banned substances, in the second half of the 2007 season.

"While we have no evidence to date that any of our players are using performance-enhancing drugs, we need to have a very clear policy and a program in place," Bivens said. "We want to take a proactive role."

Players learned of the decision with Wednesday's announcement.

Annika Sorenstam, the top-ranked women's player, said she had no problem with the decision, yet called it "sad that we have to have testing."

"Golf is not like other sports," said Sorenstam, who was tested as a college player. "I believe in this sport. I believe in the people out here. ... I don't think you're going to see anything out here, so it might be a waste of time. But if it's peace of mind for people and if we need to prove that the LPGA's clean, then let's do it."

LPGA player Cristie Kerr said the testing would protect "the honor of the game."

"If you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to worry about," Kerr said.

I'm sure a few players will have their feathers ruffled because of the new policy. Then Carolyn Bivens has a history of doing that with people etc etc.

TFM has no objection. After all most pro sports have some form of testing. That said, I don't look forward to blogging on golf's first drug scandal. If history teaches us anything, it will happen one day.

And I'll have a Knucklehead award to hand out when it does. LOL

Linked to- Adam's Blog, Pursuing Holiness, Random Yak,