PGA Tour To Test Blood, Announce Drug Related Suspensions

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The news of blood testing to more comprehensively test for doping and the decision to announce suspensions for all violation is a fascinating one on many levels. **I elaborate here at Golfweek.com.

(A) It's about time. Golf took too many hits for appearing to protect players. Given the repeated assurances that there would be few violations, those protections seemed particularly unnecessary.

(B) Odd timing. This was probably planned for announcement in anticipation of the IOC's upcoming consideration of golf going forward in the Olympics. That was, until they jumped the gun last week and committed to golf through 2024. Take that WADA!

(C) Odd timing, part 2. The folks at the Travelers, who have assembled a stellar field this year, should not be pleased to have this announcement on their press conference Tuesday.

The full press release:

Anti-Doping Program, which will take effect with the start of the 2017-18 PGA TOUR Season. The revisions, approved by the PGA TOUR Policy Board, include the implementation of blood testing, supplementation of TOUR’s Prohibited List to include all of the substances and methods currently on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List of Substances and Methods, and the reporting of suspensions related to drugs of abuse (recreational drugs).
 
The TOUR will begin a comprehensive education program to ensure that all players understand the changes to the testing procedures, the Prohibited List and the adjudication process in advance of the 2017-18 season.
 
“While we are extremely pleased with the implementation and results of the PGA TOUR Anti-Doping Program to date, we believe that these changes to our program are prudent in that they further our objectives of protecting the well-being of our members and better substantiate the integrity of golf as a clean sport,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan.
 
Blood Testing

Blood testing will be added to the Anti-Doping Program as one of the TOUR’s regular testing protocols, beginning next season. Urine testing will continue to be the predominant method.
 
While the vast majority of the substances on the Prohibited List are best detected through urine testing, there are some, like Human Growth Hormone, that are only detectable through blood. To date, the PGA TOUR has not implemented blood testing, although those substances have been prohibited. The scientific community has made substantial advancements with the creation of new detection methods, which have been successfully implemented throughout the world of sport. In addition, golfers who competed in the Olympic Games underwent blood testing with no issues.
 
Prohibited List
The PGA TOUR Prohibited List will include all of the banned substances and methods from the current WADA Prohibited List of Substances and Methods and be reviewed annually, by calendar year, to determine what (if any) changes TOUR deems advisable to make to the PGA TOUR Prohibited List based upon any changes to the WADA List.

Since the inception of the Program, the PGA TOUR Prohibited List has differed slightly from the WADA Prohibited List, primarily in three categories: asthma medications; allergy and anti-inflammatory medications, such as corticosteroids; and pseudoephedrine over a designated threshold level. Although not a signatory to the WADA Code and not required to consult with WADA on the TOUR Prohibited List, given the global nature of professional golf, consistency with the WADA list ensures professional golfers need to comply with just one list in competition around the world as well as in Olympic competition.

The TOUR has maintained a comprehensive Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) program, which enables players with legitimate medical conditions to use prohibited substances as prescribed by their physicians and under the advisement of the TUE Committee. The application, review and monitoring of TUEs has been successfully functioning since 2008, and the addition of three new categories of medication will be implemented for the TUE program beginning with the 2017-18 season.
 
Reporting

Reporting of suspensions related to violations of the Program for performance enhancing substances have been part of the TOUR’s protocol since the inception of the Anti-Doping Program in 2008. Beginning with the 2017-18 PGA TOUR Season, suspensions related to violations of the Program, whether for performance enhancing substances or drugs of abuse, will be reported publicly. Once the adjudication process has been completed, the TOUR will issue a statement containing the name of the player, the fact that a violation for either a performance enhancing substance or a drug of abuse has occurred and the length of the suspension.
 
Currently, violations for drugs of abuse are handled under the PGA TOUR Tournament Regulations as Conduct Unbecoming a Professional. Disciplinary matters related to Conduct Unbecoming a Professional are not reported to the public; thus, violations related to drugs of abuse have been treated confidentially.

Jack On Erin Hills: "Great tournament" But "I'm not sure that I thought that was what a U.S. Open should look like"

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Fox News' Bret Baier talked to Jack Nicklaus about a range of topics, including the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills.

I'm not sure that I thought that was what a U.S. Open should look like, but I'm not used to seeing no rough around the green or wide fairways with extreme rough if you hit a real bad tee shot.  And I'm not sure that I thought that was what a U.S. Open should look like, I don't want to be an old fogey about it and say that everything that we did was the right way.  There's other ways to do it and they did it a different way and I think they had a great tournament.

The full interview:

ShackHouse 39: 2017 U.S. Open Review

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Apologies in advance for some sound issues, clearly the tech Gods were not with us today as we had our first recorded show get torpedoed for a random tech issue that also tried to kill my second recording, too.

Nonetheless, House and I reconvened for a mulligan post-U.S. Open show to consider the week of Brooks Koepka, Erin Hills as a venue, the USGA and Fox's mostly strong coverage.

Apologies in advance for the thunderstorm passing, naturally, as I recorded from a rental car en route to O'Hare (I pulled over)! And thanks to producer Jim Cunningham for making something out of our phone call.

As always, you can subscribe on iTunes and or just refresh your device subscription page.

Here is The Ringer's show page.

Same deal with Soundcloud for the show, and Episode 39 is here to listen to right now.

ShackHouse is brought to you by Callaway, makers of the Epic Driver that is now part of Callaway's very groovy Customs program along with Chrome Softs and other fun stuff. Check it out just in time to compensate for the Father's Day gifts you didn't get, or, if you just want to enjoy some fun customization play with the new Customs features.

The ShackHouse wedge above was created in the program and, as noted in the show, promo code HOUSE25 will get you $25 off a custom wedge purchase for the next week.

One more week, HOUSE25! And free customization of Chrome Softs in June. Get on it at CallawayGolf.com.

"He died on the golf course, just days after her"

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What a beautiful piece of writing by Bill Glauber of the Journal-Sentinel on what was a difficult subject: the death of 94-year-old Marshall Jacobs, who passed away watching the U.S. Open.

Jacobs was a lifelong golfer and golf fan who loved watching Golf Channel with his wife Lucille, who passed away last week. Marshall wasn't going to miss the U.S. Open's first playing in Wisconsin, circling it on his calendar back in 2010.

But he wasn't going to miss this tournament. He had made plans to see it back in 2010 when Erin Hills was awarded the championship, telling his son, "I hope I'm still alive when this thing is here."

Perched at the sixth green, father and son saw the game's great players go by during the second round.

"We spent three hours of bliss out there," Bill Jacobs said.

Even better, he got to see his favorite golfer, Steve Stricker, make a putt shortly before he passed. Sweet story.

Video(s): Fox Sports 2017 U.S. Open Features & #BrowniePoints

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Fox Sports produced visually stimulating telecasts from Erin Hills, aided by several features and the real standout: Ken Brown's Brownie Points. As D.J. Piehowski noted on Twitter, Brown is doing so much with so little: one camera, a few toys, and a nice splash of creativity.

Before those links, a few random observations on Fox's year-three coverage, which really hit its visual stride this year. Last year's coverage of the DJ fiasco earned the network credibility and while the sound and tech touches were fun, there was a sense that they didn't quite help tell the story.

Yet even with a very difficult venue to cover due to its size, the combination of camera locations, gizmos and amazing player sound delivered on the network's original promise to tell a golf tournament story in a fresh and innovative way. The ending was a little rough with Joe Buck's reference to Brooks' former girlfriend and another awkward trophy ceremony, but that shouldn't taint what was such a strong week visually.

And on that topic, here's the list of links to features and Brownie Points. I'm embedding a few below, but with Twitter embeds not playing sometimes these days, the links should be more reliable:

U.S. Open Features

Ken Brown’s #BrowniePoints

The Arnold Palmer feature with Clint Eastwood narrating. 

Brownie on the par-3 16th where there really isn't that much profound to say about this hole, and yet he managed to milk all of the key details out in this entertaining piece:

And this instant classic on the fescue rough.

 

 

 

2017 U.S. Open: Round Four This And That

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The on-site forecast calls for winds 15-25 mph out the west until noon, shifting to WNW at midday and letting up a bit around 4 pm CT.

Already we've seen that Erin Hills will play as a much different course, with greens noticeably faster and one hole location (13th) moved.

The flag on the 18th hole will pay tribute to Arnold Palmer, as shown in this Facebook live of the pin placement. There is also a change to the grandstand canvas featuring a Palmer tribute. All players and spectators are receiving a replica pin of his 1960 contestant badge. So cool!

I'll add the course setup notes of note when we receive them.

Golfweek's staff made picks. I went with Rickie, because I know you were dying to find out.

Day four links...

Your television full viewing guide is here.

USOpen.com has live featured group and hole coverage early in the day.

Tee times.

The leaderboard.

Golfweek's Live Blog

Diaz: "Everybody loses when players don't come to the interview room."

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After an opening 65, Rickie Fowler was asked by USGA officials to visit the interview room for a sitdown with writers and various television outlets. Instead, he kept his comments confined to various TV interviews and the "flash" area.

But as Jaime Diaz of Golf World explains, this was a precedent-setting move in line with the recent tradition of players increasingly staying out of the press center and distancing themselves from the press. Because of the player in question--and one who is traditionally media friendly--Diaz views this new precedent as dangerous.

But Fowler was the leader, and his decision to break precedent matters. Whether they like it or not, the game’s best players are also its most influential thought leaders. What they say at tournaments, and especially majors, can both inspire and deepen understanding of a nuanced game. Forfeiting such a platform ultimately hurts golf.

What’s worrisome is that players will take note of Fowler’s decision and start to emulate it. Indeed, through he first two rounds of the championship at Erin Hills, more than 50 players were interviewed in the flash area, but only one—Brian Harman (one of four players who tied for the 36-hole lead)—came to the press center to be interviewed.

It’s understandable in the current climate—which now includes journalists regularly considered to be putting out “fake news”—that agents and managers who handle the players see an opportunity for lessening media obligations. Perhaps Fowler’s decision was in part a test to see if anyone would notice.

U.S. Open Ratings: Third Round 2.55; Undisputed Lightly Watched

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The third round overnight rating for Fox's U.S. Open third round telecast drew a 2.55, tying last year's rating for the lowest third round on record and down 24% from the 3.35 Fox drew it's first year at Chambers Bay. Do remember these numbers do not account for streaming views. These are also the longest viewing windows in the history of the U.S. Open--nine hours Saturday, nine-and-a-half on Sunday.

The third round overnight, if it holds, is actually lower than last year's Open Championship third round (2.75) on NBC, which was played in the morning hours vs the U.S. Open spilling into Saturday night prime time.

Hopefully Saturday's excitement and the various highlights seen by sports fans who did not tune in will get more people to tune in Sunday.

As for Fox's on-site shows of Undisputed featuring Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayliss, Thursday's 9-9:30 am EST show drew a .03, averaging 37,000 viewers. For perspective, Golf Central's Live From drew a .11, averaging 138,000 viewers over the same half hour.

In the 9:30-11 am window that led into FS1's first round U.S. Open telecast, Undisputed drew a 0.9 to 123k average vs. Live From's .18, 237k average audience over the 90 minutes.

On Friday Undisputed's 9-9:30 am drew a .05 to Live From's .14, while the 9:30 am-11 am EST window ended in a .09 vs. .17 for Live From leading into the second round telecast.

But hey, the Undisputed content was spectacular:

 



 

Roundup: Justin Thomas's Historic 63 At Erin Hills

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The comparisons were inevitable given the championship and the June 17th date--44 years to the day Johnny Miller posted 63 in the U.S. Open.

No matter how you break it down, Thomas's 9-birdie, one-eagle 63 joins a list of great major championship rounds.

Jaime Diaz's Golf World assessment:

It’s reasonable to assert that Thomas’ round, because of it’s amazing displays of explosiveness, ranks in the upper third among 63s in majors. His overall Saturday report card: A for fireworks, B for precision, and A+ for closing the show. It’s the last category where Thomas would most like to repeat his grade tomorrow.

Jeff Babineau at Golfweek.com writes up leader Brian Harman and Thomas's round like this:

Those who wish to point to soft conditions to question the quality of Thomas’ 63 (even Thomas called the conditions “not very Open-like”) should digest this: Miller’s 63 was scored on a par-71 course playing 6,921 yards. Thomas, obviously armed with far more modern equipment and a golf ball that travels farther, shot 63 on a par-72 course measuring almost 900 yards longer. Saturday, Erin Hills played to 7,818 yards.

So why was Thomas looking like he was in agony at the 18th green before sinking his eagle putt? Luke Kerr-Dineen with the photos and explanation. Get his man some PB&J's for the golf bag!

I had the privilege of speaking with Johnny Miller for Golfweek and he shared his thoughts in classic Johnny fashion.

G.C. Digital compares Thomas’s round with Johnny Miller’s, statistically.

The scorecard already has character…gulp. Will Gray reports for GolfChannel.com.



Thomas's Fox interview with Shane Bacon.

 

2017 U.S. Open Round Three This And That

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The third round is underway after .91 inches of overnight rain and while a softer course should be vulnerable, I argued at Golfweek.com that the USGA did the right thing in getting the field around for two rounds. The forecast suggests Sunday could still bring some U.S. Open carnage.

Steve DiMeglio's USA Today game story notes that Erin Hills took it on the chin, but it also delivered a few blows.

Kevin Casey with a roundup of the best quotes.

Paul Casey overcame a triple to take the co-lead, writes GolfChannel.com's Rex Hoggard.

Cameron Champ is leading the field in driving distance at 339.3 yards, and the Texas A&M star has a tremendous backstory, reports Beth Ann Nichols for Golfweek.

Martin Kaufmann with a midway point review of Fox's broadcast, with high praise for the many bells and whistles that have been tremendous. The announce team? Not so much.

A 94-year-old man died on site of natural causes, reports Bill Glauber of the Journal-Sentinel.

A Trump protest banner will be flying over Erin Hills later today.

Kevin Van Valkenburg at ESPN.com on the explosive temper of Jon Rahm over the last two days.

Today's hole locations, since many of you asked...

Day three links...

Your television full viewing guide is here.

USOpen.com has exclusive early coverage and live featured group coverage all day.

Tee times.

The leaderboard.

2017 U.S. Open On Pace For "Historically Weak" Performance

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Given no Tiger, no Phil, an unknown venue, falling ratings in almost all sectors and what seemed like a less relentless advertising campaign compared to recent years, the 2017 U.S. Open seemed destined for ratings toruble. Now couple that with the departures of several stars and...

Paulsen at SportsMediaWatch.com says "if round one is any indication, the U.S. Open is on pace for another historically weak performance."

He has a full report on round one ratings, which were way up over last year's rain-out, way down over 2015 at Chambers Bay.

First round coverage of the U.S. Open averaged 1.2 million viewers across FOX and Fox Sports 1 Thursday, up 44% from last year, when play was mostly rained out (805K), but down 41% from 2015, when the tournament took place on the West Coast and stretched further into primetime (2.0M).

Paulsen also is predicting weekend ratings for all sports and says that in spite of no NBA Finals competition, "expect historically low numbers nonetheless. Predictions: 2.1 and 3.1."

The U.S. Open telecast placed fourth in the 8-9 pm ET prime time hour Thursday night behind reruns on the other networks.

Rory, Elkington Go Two Rounds (For Now) On Twitter

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The joys of a good Saturday morning Twitter spat to keep us entertained until the leaders tee off many hours from now.

This is following Rory McIlroy's 2017 U.S. Open missed cut...