News

PGA Tour Considering Drug Testing Policy

According to Commissioner Tim Finchem, the PGA Tour is close to developing a drug testing policy for all its members. Why has the Tour come to this decision and how do the players feel about it?

Published

19 years ago

Jun 23, 2007

K Vakamudi

Roughly a year ago, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem stated that the PGA Tour had no need for a drug testing policy. Finchem seemed very comfortable in his reasoning – that a problem was not perceived to exist and if there were allegations against a specific player, they would be dealt with on a player to Commissioner basis. However, times appear to be changing. At a press conference at this week’s Travelers Championship, Finchem stated changes were being made to rules that would lead to drug testing in the future.

"It’s unfortunate that these realities are with us, but they are, and we have to deal with them, and I think it’s important that golf deal with them collectively," said Finchem. Yet this new policy hardly seems proactive considering the government required testing of all athletes in Europe and the LPGA which has already instituted thier drug testing policy they will enforce in 2008.

Stories about performance enhancing drugs and sports have become fixtures in the news. The blind eye baseball showed towards drug testing was thrust into the public spotlight as many of the sport’s icons have been implicated in the use of performance enhancing drugs. Once thought the cure-all for home run hitters, quite a few pitchers have also begun testing positive recently, which shattered the stereotype of finesse positions being unaffected and even hindered by performance pharmaceuticals. In this day and age, it was rather naive for the PGA Tour to believe they are immune to this problem. In the past ten years, the redefinition as the modern golfer as an athelete has progressed in leaps and bounds. Golfers everywhere are realizing the importance of strength and conditioning to improving their performance and are taking advantage of every opportunity presented to improve their abilities and performance. Although golf is singular in its code of ethics and self officiating, people have found ways to cheat in the past and will find ways to do so in the future. The steps the PGA Tour is making will ensure that golf does not recieve the same black marks against its reputation baseball has endured.

As a welcome change of pace, many players seem to be on board with the testing policy, some even asking why a plan hasn’t been in place previously. When asked about the possibility of testing last year, Tiger Woods said, "I don’t know when we could get that implemented. Tomorrow would be fine with me." This week’s defending champion, J. J. Henry was asked about the issue during his press conference. He added, "What the Commissioner does, whatever they decide to do, I obviously will be behind, but I’d like to think there’s none of that going on out here, to be honest with you." Greg Norman also commented on the issue, "If the rules aren’t there, you can’t blame the players. If it is happening, and I’m not saying it is, even if one player is doing it, it’s one too many."

Yet, not all players seem to be on board with the idea. Much of the dissent on the testing policy appears to have more to do with the make-up of the PGA Tour Policy Board which is made up of nine players who decide on policies for the memberships. Mark Brooks was one who disagreed with the testing policy, "Basically, in (the PGA Tour) you’ve got 200-plus independent contractors and those who are on the PGA Tour Policy Board are not all elected, and well, there’s a problem," Brooks said. "Should we or should we not? Whatever. But it’s not just a matter of Tiger (Woods’) opinion or someone else’s opinion or whether we should or shouldn’t. I’m not a lawyer, obviously not by any stretch. But my guess is that we’ll have some serious legal issues if we get into that field."

Regardless of the various wishes of players, it appears that the wheels are well in motion towards developing a firm testing policy. Joe Durant, a member of the Tour’s Policy Board said, "It’ll happen, being on the board, we’ve already discussed it. It’s just getting it correct. We just have to make sure it’s done right the first time so we don’t have to keep amending it, but it will happen." While this is a controversial subject, a simple glance at the drug fueled stories found in today’s sports news seems to put things back in perspective as to just how important a stable testing policy will be to maintaining the image of the PGA Tour in the future.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

Published

2 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX Tour Photographer made the trip from the Memorial Tournament across the country to the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Check out links to all the photos below!

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

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News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase