Rory Calls Out Gary Player

A little South African infighting happening in the war of words over drug testing and doping in golf. Gary Player said during the Open Championship that he knows of at least ten players that have been doping in an attempt to reiterate the need for comprehensive drug testing on the PGA Tour to be implemented quickly - even quicker than the Tour's timeline.

Rory Sabbtaini is telling Player that he should be more specific in his claims, and say who he knows is doping. According to Reuters, Sabbatini said in a press conference, "If you're going to say something, don't say half of it, either be quiet and let things be or spill the beans," Sabbatini told a news conference on the eve of the Players' Championship of Europe near Hamburg. "I don't believe there are guys that are doing that."

I'm in agreement here. I point you to baseball for the proof behind my sentiment. Ken Caminiti, 1996 MLB NL MVP, said in a tell all book that no only did he use steroids during his playing career, but boldly claimed that half of the players in the game were juicing. He did not name names. Jose Canseco did, though, in his book. While many in the media and fandom laughed at Canseco and claimed he was simply trying to make a buck, much of what he said in specifics turned out to be true. It lent him some credibility and a number of backtracked apologies.

Player should do the same, without a tell-all book. He should say who he suspects is doping, what substances they may be taking, and for how long he has suspected this activity has been happening. It will give the public a concept of who may be doping. Are they top tier players? Bottom feeders? Who knows. Even still, Player can lend his calls (along with WADA chief Dick Pound) for expediency in drug testing if he can oust some players and back his claims.

Otherwise, we will continue to hear lines from guys like Andrew Magee over at the Golf Channel. On this week's The Approach with Callaway Golf program, Magee joined the legions of players who simply brush aside claims that players would be juicing. He had no reason to back up his claims, saying simply that drugging would not help a player in a meaningful capacity. Of course, he has no evidence. No one does.

But, to throw my argument a bone, Niclas Fasth came to the rescue in the same Reuters piece quoting Sabbatini. He said, "Certain drugs make you calmer and lower the pulse rate, so they would have their place in golf as much, if not more, than any other sport."

John Corrigan explores the subject in a fictional context in his book Out of Bounds. He did significant research to determine what could be possible with doping in golf. I guess many players care to discredit the concept as simply fiction in public.

I wonder how some feel in private, though...