Several PGA Tour players leery of accidental positives

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That example is often cited when the game's honor is discussed.Players routinely call penalties on themselves, even at the highestlevels of competition, in which every hole or every swing can't beobserved by a rules official.
So it is with varying degrees of trepidation, consternation and,ultimately, resignation that the game enters a new era this week onthe PGA Tour: drug testing.
For the first time, players in the field at the PGA Tour event thisweek -- the AT&T National -- will be subject to random tests aspart of the tour's Anti-Doping Program. Urine samples will be takento determine if players are taking steroids or otherperformance-enhancing substances, as well as illegal recreationaldrugs. A positive test can result in suspension for a year for afirst offense and a lifetime ban for multiple violations.
The entire concept remains controversial.
"It's the biggest joke in the history of the world," said PGA Tourveteran Rocco Mediate . "You could sit in the parking lot and drink a fifth of vodka, andyou might get a fine. But if you take Vick's Vapor Rub, you've gotto go through the whole system. There are all kinds of things. Ifyou drink a protein shake, and it metabolizes wrong, you're done.It's stupid. There is nothing we can take to help you in golf.
"We're not Olympians here. If I take steroids, I'm not going toshoot better scores. I can assure you of that. … I don't havea problem with drug testing, just the way it's being done. Whydon't we do our own deal? And they follow you in [to a restroom] totake a piss? C'mon, it's bull----. Everybody can cheat all day outhere if they want. We can move our ball, and nobody does it. Wepolice ourselves."
PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem might very well agree withMediate, though perhaps not as vehemently. As recently as two yearsago, Finchem was on record as saying that the PGA Tour did not needdrug testing, that he was unaware of any issues withperformance-enhancing drugs, and that he wasn't even sure that suchsubstances could help golfers play better.
But Finchem came around to the idea and eventually pushed -- albeitreluctantly -- for a comprehensive plan.
"You just can't avoid it anymore," Finchem said during a recentinterview. "It's just too prevalent. Too many other sports arehaving issues. There is too much of a perception growing that everyathlete is taking advantage. We didn't have any of that because wedidn't have any rules. Now we have rules going into effect.
"My position hasn't changed. We have to work hard through that. Theidea of testing doesn't change the culture of responsibility ofplayers knowing the rules, playing by the rules, calling violationson yourself. I rationalized this by thinking of drug testing liketesting a driver. You're testing it because somebody put it in aplayer's hands. Drug testing, you are testing a player becausemaybe they put something in their body. In both cases, I don'texpect or anticipate situations where players intentionallyviolated.