Journeyman golfer makes, then retracts, Tiger Woods PED claim

The manager for Tiger Woods and the PGA Tour have strongly denied claims made by a journeyman pro that Woods is currently serving a month-long suspension.

Dan Olsen, who last played a Tour event in 2011, said on Michigan radio station 730AM that a “strong witness … a credible person” told him that Woods was suspended for a month by the PGA Tour.

Olsen, 48, went on to say that, “when it’s all said and done, [Woods] is going to surpass Lance Armstrong with infamy.”

In a statement released to Golf Channel, Woods’ manager, Mark Steinberg, said that the 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 later recanted his claim to GolfChannel.com, saying, “My comments were ill advised. I retract the entire interview and apologize to Nike, the PGA Tour, Tiger and Tim Finchem.”

In the past, the Tour has commented only on suspensions for performance-enhancing drugs, not for recreational drugs.

Only two players (Doug Barron and Bhavik Patel) have run afoul of the PGA Tour’s anti-doping policy.

The PGA Tour released a statement Monday, saying, “Regarding the allegations made by Dan Olsen concerning Tiger Woods, there is no truth whatsoever to his claims and the PGA Tour categorically denies them."

After missing the cut in his season debut in Phoenix and withdrawing from Torrey Pines midway through the first round because of injury, Woods announced Feb. 11 that he was taking an indefinite break, saying that his game was not ready for tournament play.

In his remarks Friday, Olsen also accused Woods of using “a ball that nobody else could play.”

Nike, which makes the ball that Woods plays, responded Monday, saying, “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.”

Olsen played only one full-time season on the Tour, in 2004. Last year he worked as a club professional in Michigan. He now lives in the Jacksonville, Fla., area.

-- Ryan Lavner, GolfChannel.com