PGA Tour may test for HGH

[Arnold]

PGA Tour may test for HGH
By Tom Weir, USA TODAY

The PGA Tour is considering testing players for human growth hormone if it can find a reliable method.

Testing methods for the performance-enhancer have been debated by the NFL and MLB, but one sticking point has been whether HGH usage can be detected without taking blood samples.

"I think that the big question about HGH is reliable testing," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said at a news conference yesterday. "That's the challenge with all sports. That's the first question. And then the second question is if there is reliable testing available and it's only blood, do we want to go to blood, which is another step."

Finchem said testing for HGH might be forced upon the Tour because in 2016 golf is scheduled to become part of the Olympics, where athletes already are tested for HGH.

"It may be something that comes to our doorstep as part of golf entering the Olympics in '16 because in that year there will be a pool of players who are eligible for the Olympics and they'll be subject to whatever the standards are for the Olympic Games, which might be somewhat different than ours," Finchem said.

 

[SuperLift]

How does one test for hgh?

 

[bigpoppapump]

I'm sure John Daly is sh*ttin in his boots!!!!

 

[flipswitch]

We have blood test and still in development urine testing for HGH. Blood test is accurate, but requires antibodies in order to detect and it costs a lot of money to run such tests because of the antibodies being in short supply. The urine testing is still under construction and hasn't been accurate enough yet to use commonly for sports drug testing purposes.

Golf already has a huge "financial" factor in its favor. To be allowed into the Olympics, guaranteed, several huge hitters are going to make sure it makes its way into the 2016 Olympics with/without scandal, but make money off it somehow. So providing the funds to take care of drugtesting requiring blood shouldn't be a problem for them - it sounds like a shift is going to occur to separate the pros from the amateurs and perhaps stir the waters on several pros suspected of using HGH - obviously for financial gain one way or another. The sport is well respected, however, in my opinion it has been political since the day folks stepped onto the greens. Nothing but a huge flexing of "big money muscle" and unfortunately, that's all it ever will be if they gain control over testing and try to use it as an excuse to "oust" certain athletes that they feel "don't belong" in the big boys club. Sad, sad, sad to see certain sports go that route - but I guess that's just how they roll when it's all business.

 

[Hench]

I'm convinced TW is using GH, especially with all the injuries he's had.

I used to play golf at national level, golfer's using gear makes no sense to me, they only test for it because other sports do. HGH on the other hand makes loads of sense and I would guess more than a few are currently using.

 

[BigBird]

TW has been directly linked to that doctor in Canada who happened to prescribe HGH left and right. But of course, TW NEVER would've accepted HGH from this doctor and it was a mere coincidence that he went to Canada to see a liberal PED-prescribing doctor, right? Right??......

Actually, eff it. Let them take whatever the eff they want. I don't care.